By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – The Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority is without leadership following the surprise resignation Thursday of Vice Chair P. David Campbell.
The announcement followed the resignation of Chair Ned Regan a day before. That left Campbell to gavel in the Board meeting Thursday. Campbell presided over the two and a half hour-long meeting without a hint that he too would abruptly resign.
Recent publicized criticism by other Board members of both Regan and Campbell may have fueled their decisions. In a very brief statement Thursday at the close of the meeting, Campbell said he'd had enough.
"I find myself in a situation to where my character and my integrity and my honesty has been challenged," said Campbell. "I don't need that."
Campbell acknowledged that communication on the Board has not always been the best. Other Board members have complained they were frequently left out of the loop on important decisions, such as the hiring of a Director for the Office of Management and Productivity.
Still, Board Member Sheila Kee said she was shocked by Campbell's resignation. And, she said time is of the essence to find replacements.
"Now, you have five people out of seven and two of these seats are vacant that are appointed by the Governor," said Kee. "So, I am hoping he can take immediate action."
Kee said she hopes the appointments will be local people who will be close at hand to ask what she called the tough questions.
The Board Thursday voted to meet every two weeks at least for the next three months. They began a detailed review of the progress of the initiatives in the four-year plan.
And, the plan will need close monitoring.
According to James Hartman, who tracks the plan for the County, about $29- million of the $40-million savings expected for 2007 is at risk.
"If you remember at the end of October I read a letter that said I thought $40 million of it was - I think I used the polite words - tenuously defined," said Hartmen. "That's turning out to be correct."
Hartmen said the biggest problems for 2007 include falling short on about $12- million of projected labor savings, and that $12.5 million hole from the recent agreement to share sales tax revenue.
But, Hartman said officials are busy looking for other areas to make up the difference.