Auerbach Enlists Attorney General's Help

ON AUERBACH'S URGING AG CONTACTS LLOYD.................

The New York State Attorney General’s office has recently contacted the Town of Lloyd asking what steps they will take to recover $270,000 in development fees that were never collected for a host of projects identified in a town commissioned audit covering the years 2004- 2008.
In a Dec. 30 letter, Town Attorney Sean Murphy informed the Town Board of the state’s interest in this issue. Murphy stated that he responded that Lloyd was in the process of determining what course of action they were going to take. The Attorney General’s Office indicated they will be contacting the town again by the middle of February for an answer on their plan of action.

Ulster County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach said he had reviewed the Vannacore, DiBenedictus, DiGovanni and Weddell audit report. Auerbach is the county’s chief official who monitors governmental accounts and expenditures.

“It certainly raised some concern and that is why I prompted the New York State Attorney General’s office to take a closer look at this,” he said.

Auerbach said Lloyd should have collected their entitled fees during the planning procedure.
“The town may have not charged and collected everything that was due to them through the process, and the report certainly speaks to that,” he said.

Auerbach said it appears the Attorney General’s Office is, “letting the town know there are some concerns here that were raised by the report and will most likely give the town the opportunity to remedy any of those issues.”

Auerbach said he is certain Lloyd has to reply to the state’s inquiry.

“I am sure the Attorney General is going to expect a response from the town,” he said. “More importantly I’m sure that the public would expect a response from the town. This is the type of issue, once brought to the forefront, will raise some public concern.”

Auerbach said the firm referred to their four-year analysis as an investigation. Auerbach highlighted the most significant sentence in the report.

“There were 21 instances out of 61 of maps being signed by the chairperson [Lou DuBois] of the Town Planning Board without the appropriate fees ever being collected,” Auerbach said. “Right there, that jumps out at you. I am sure that would raise issue with the Attorney General’s office.”

Auerbach said it is possible the Attorney General’s Office may “very well” force the collection of fees.

Auerbach again read from the report: [In] conclusion, our investigation uncovered that there was under-collection of subdivision, recreation, and drainage fees of $125,000 and $105,000 respectively.”

Auerbach commented, “We are looking at a substantial amount of money, close to a quarter of a million dollars and that is just for this window of time.”

Auerbach urged the town to go beyond the time frame covered by the audit.

“It would be in the best interest of the current town administration to address these issues that were raised and possibly go back several more years to see if there were any other inequities,” he said.

Auerbach said he thought the Attorney General’s Office will also re-examine the relationships between the town and the numerous developers who were cited in the audit.

“I am sure they will dig further into that as well,” he said. “They have a local government efficiency office that would probably look at this closely.”

Auerbach said his role in this issue is limited due to Ulster County codes.

“That’s why I felt it was incumbent upon me, once brought to the attention of my office, to bring the state’s Attorney General Office into it,” he said. “It’s going to be up to the AG to carry this further.”

By Mark Reynolds
mreynolds@tcnewspapers.com

Auerbach “demystifies” comptroller’s role

Auerbach “demystifies” comptroller’s role

KINGSTON – Ulster County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach is responsible for how the county spends its money, and Tuesday he told members of the Chamber of Commerce of Ulster County how government is a responsible partner with the private sector.

“What we tried to do is demystify the office of comptroller, and explain to them how we do things,” he said, after the monthly chamber breakfast. “And just like them, we feel government should be run and be accountable as they do in their businesses every day.”

And like businesses, government provides goods and services. Unlike the private sector; however, there is no competition to provide a better product. Yet there is trust in government to do so.

Ulster County government works with businesses that provide goods and services to taxpayers, and those businesses must be paid. And it’s not always so easy to submit a bill and then get paid on a timely and preferable schedule.

“The biggest thing we hear from businesses is the slow payment time,” said Auerbach.

So Auerbach’s office has created a system to help provide those payments and increase government’s efficiency.

“We’ve created a vendor efficiency payment report to track that. By tracking that, we can see where the gaps are. And by seeing where the gaps are, we can speed the process along.”

Ulster County also provides funding for non-profits, and Auerbach said government, being the leading non-profit, shares lessons about survival and accountability by training them about the process of obtaining funding.

“With the non-profits it’s about making them better stewards with their money,” he said. “One thing I see with non-profits is that they don’t see how the process works. And by not knowing how it works, it frustrates them.”


Copyright © 2009 Mid-Hudson News Network, a division of Statewide News Network, Inc.)

Auerbach defends critical audits at Ulster business meeting | recordonline.com

Auerbach defends critical audits at Ulster business meeting | recordonline.com

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Ulster County must pay $22 million to school districts to cover delinquent taxes - The Daily Freeman News: Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871(DailyFreeman.com)

Ulster County must pay $22 million to school districts to cover delinquent taxes - The Daily Freeman News: Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871(DailyFreeman.com)

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NEPOTISM...BEGONE!

Nepotism Definition

Simply put, the definition of nepotism is favoring relatives. Nepotism in the workplace occurs when employers favor relatives in making employment decisions, with little to no regard for anything but kinship.


It was evident in our report of the Ulster County Health Department in November of 2009 (see excerpt below) and we brought it to the forefront. We are pleased to see that legislation will be considered.


2009 – 009
Ulster County Department of Health
Environmental Sanitation Division
August 1, 1994 – June 11, 2009

Issued: November 20, 2009
Standard:
Employees in familial relationships ought not to work within the same department and division, especially in a supervisor/staff relationship. The standard of appropriate checks and balances between duties and responsibilities among staff is fundamental no matter whether or not a familial relationship exists.
(Page #20)

Hein issues executive order banning nepotism in county employment

KINGSTON – County employees in Ulster County can no longer supervisor their relatives. County Executive Michael Hein Wednesday issued executive order #1, which seeks to do away with the practice.

His order calls for all department heads, board, agency and commission heads under his jurisdiction to review their operations for any potential nepotism-related conflicts and issue findings based on the review. They have 60 days in which to do that and issue their findings to the personnel director along with any proposed action plan.

“As you know, Ulster County has an obligation to avoid conflicts of interest between work-related and family-related obligations, end nepotism or even the appearance of such and prevent family conflicts from affecting the workplace,” Hein wrote in a letter to County Legislature Chairman Frederick Wadnola and all legislators.

The county executive also urged the legislature to adopt a local law regarding the issue
(Copyright © 2009 Mid-Hudson News Network, a division of Statewide News Network, Inc)

New York developer announces deal for purchase of Nevele Hotel

This is GREAT NEWS on the heels of last weeks Hotel-Motel Occupancy Tax Report. After speaking with one of the principals in the project I am cautiously optimistic that this all may happen. Mr. Weiss had a realistic approach to the project and an understanding of what needs to be done to bring the property and its reputation back.

ELLENVILLE – Tricon Development of New York City Tuesday announced the Nevele Hotel in Ellenville is under contract for sale to the Nevele Holding LLC in conjunction with The Giluet Foundation.

Tricon head Raphael Weiss said the buyer’s intention is “to restore the hotel to its former glory including concierge and first rate service, complete renovations, entertainment and luxury for all guests.”

Ulster County Executive Michael Hein the deal is in its “preliminary states, but the county looks forward to working with anyone who looks to ultimately restore the Nevele to its glory and bring high quality jobs to the Ellenville area,” he said. “The county is looking forward to working to make sure that takes place.”

According to Tricon, the buyer intends to reach out to all those to whom money is owned from past operations as well as the unions about hiring their members.

Weiss anticipates several hundred jobs generated for operations, work for outside contractors, increase in sales tax receipts, payroll taxes and other municipal revenues and economic activity in the region from visitors due to business, leisure and convention activity.

“There will be no dependence upon the possibilities of gambling/horseracing or other expectations other than restoring the Nevele to its rightful position as one and only Class A resort,” he said. “Such will go a far way toward reviving the economic fortunes of the area and bringing back the golden age that the area so rightly deserves."
(Copyright © 2009 Mid-Hudson News Network, a division of Statewide News Network, Inc.)

Ulster will pay out over $20 million to make up school district taxes

Ulster will pay out over $20 million to make up school district taxes

KINGSTON – Ulster County can expect to lay out $22 million to local school districts for unpaid school taxes in the 2009-2010 academic year. The money will make the districts whole and cover the amount that goes unpaid by district residents. The county shelled out $20.8 million in unpaid school taxes for the 2008-2009 school year.

County Comptroller Elliot Auerbach, in his second “By the Numbers” report, said unpaid school taxes are expected to climb by over 50 percent since 2006-2007.

“It’s a trend that we see moving upward, in fact since 2006, it’s been on the increase to the tune of 53 percent,” he said. “We project in April 2010 that it will be $22 million. This past year it was $20 million, and that includes not only unpaid taxes from the schools’ original warrant, but monies each school district through state land.”

Auerbach said in better financial times this was less of a burden on the county.

It is a state requirement that counties make up the difference.



Copyright © 2009 Mid-Hudson News Network, a division of Statewide News Network, Inc.