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Audit Critical of County-City Parks Agreement

By Joyce Kryszak

Buffalo, NY – An Erie County audit of the first 18 months of an historic regional parks deal is showing signs of some needed maintenance.

A report released Wednesday by the county comptroller's office found that the county is losing millions from its take-over of city parks. The deficit from 2005 alone was roughly $1.3 million.

Major findings included unfulfilled terms of the agreement, late payments, and revenue shortfalls from lost aid and fees. County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz says it adds up to a bad deal for the county, unless the issues can be resolved.

The city pays the county about $1.8 million a year to maintain all city parks. As part of the agreement,the county contracts with the Olmsted Parks Conservancy to maintain the Olmsted portion of the system. The audit found the city is late, by as much as four months, with its payments. And it found the Conservancy has failed to submit any revenue reports.

County Attorney Larry Rubin says no deficits are anticipated for this year or the remaining fourteen years of the agreement. He also disagreed with the exact amount of the deficits cited in the report. Rubin would only say, however, that it was less than stated by the comptroller.

Officials from the city and the Conservancy were still reviewing the audit and did not yet have comment.

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