Andrea Haxton questioned the very same in Lackawanna
Time log questioned at meeting in Amherst
Anderson accused of pension padding
By Sandra Tan
NEWS STAFF REPORTER
Updated: July 08, 2010, 10:54 am
Published: July 08, 2010, 12:30 am
Amherst Council Member Richard “Jay” Anderson was publicly accused this week of falsifying his time log to qualify for state pension credits he hasn’t earned.
“I’m not talking a little exaggeration here,” said Council Member Mark Manna. “I’m talking about somebody who has substantially fabricated the time that he works— and for one purpose only, to claim his pension credits.”
He said he will ask the state comptroller this week to audit Anderson’s logs. He also pointed out that falsification of state records is a felony.
“I will not vote for, or be part of, any attempt to defraud the state pension system,” Manna said at Tuesday night’s Town Board meeting, “and I hope my colleagues will join me in asking for a state investigation or inquiry by the State Comptroller’s Office into the time logs kept by Council Member Anderson.”
“My time logs are publicly available for the public to review,” Anderson said in response. “I stand behind them.”
No other board member spoke in his defense, though all but Manna voted to approve the time logs on the advice of the town comptroller and town attorney.
“There is no regulation that this board attest to the accuracy or completeness of those logs,” Comptroller Darlene Carroll told the board Tuesday.
All elected and appointed officials in New York State who do not keep regular time sheets are expected to keep time logs for a certain period to determine whether they are eligible for full-time state pension credits.
Amherst Town Board members elected to their seats since last Aug. 12 were expected to keep three-month time logs to prove that they worked enough hours to claim full-time credits.
Anderson, who took office in January, submitted time logs for January, February and March on the deadline date of June 30. Those records qualify him for full-time pension credits. Before submitting his time logs, board members said Anderson asked to see the calendars and time logs of some of his colleagues.
Many of the hours logged by Anderson included private reviews of town plans, typically on weekends. In March, for instance, Anderson’s log indicated that he spent the equivalent of five full working days reviewing various town agendas and planning documents.
No one contacted Wednesday supplied irrefutable evidence showing that Anderson’s records were exaggerated or falsified. Many officials did express surprise, however, at the time logs he submitted.
“He’s a slacker, and everybody knows it,” Manna said Wednesday.
Anderson responded by accusing Manna, the board’s sole Democrat, of “playing politics” and exploiting an opportunity to make one of his colleagues look bad.
“He’s the Democrat on the board,” Anderson said. “He’s choosing to replace [Democrat and former Council Member] Dan Ward in attacking Republicans and disrupting the functioning of the board. I’ve put in more than enough time, and the residents of Amherst should be proud of the time and effort put in by myself and the other elected officials.”
Supervisor Barry Weinstein called Manna’s public comments “inappropriate.”
“Mark’s been picking on Jay all year,” he said. “This is more of the same partisan politics. I’m not going to say Jay embellished any more than Mark did and vice versa.”
But a number of other town officials and board colleagues have privately expressed skepticism among each other about his logs since he is not considered one of the board’s more productive members.
“I guess I would question it,” said Council Member Guy Marlette. “I think it becomes questionable that on the last day that the logs have to be filed that there’s a mad dash to complete those records.”
Anderson was not the only board member to submit his time logs at the last minute. So did Council Member Barbara Nuchereno, who said she’d had to reconstruct her time based on the personal calendars she kept.
Because she reconstructed her time after the fact, she said she shortchanged herself and left out a lot of nonrecorded time such as conversations with residents and document reviews. Ultimately, she only qualified for part-time pension credits.
“I think I do a good job; I think I’m prepared,” Nuchereno said. “I think I’m not the best record keeper, but I’m not hurting anybody but myself.”
She said she could not speak to Anderson’s time log, but like the other members on the board, she said she wouldn’t mind the state comptroller investigating all the time logs submitted by all board members.
“I welcome an investigation,” she said, “because if someone is being dishonest, everyone is entitled to know about it.”
Seems like other communities are having the same problem with "SLACKERS" ----Lackawanna has 4 seating on their board! Ms. Haxton brought up at a Council meeting last year almost word for word what Mr. Manna said. Her suggestion of a time clock for council members was scoffed and ridiculed by Council President Jaworski who apparently is too lazy to punch in and out like every other working stiff does in this country. All the criticism and bashing of Ms. Haxton has to do with her ideas of accountability, honesty and integrity. Say what you will about her taxes but at least Lackawanna knows she was honest to its citizens. She tried to hold the "good 'ole boys" network to account for their misdeeds. I guess that is why they blasted her so much because of her ideas, such as the one printed in the Buffalo News. If Mr. Manna was in Lackawanna, they would make sure he wouldn't last one day!!! Bravo Mr. Manna....watching out for the citizens in your town!
Over 1 Year Ago--Accountability? Ha!
COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2009
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
www.ci.lackawanna.ny.us
Meeting called to order/Pledge of Allegiance
Approval of Minutes:
Moved by Schiavi, seconded by Jaworski to adopt minutes as written.
Nays: Haxton Yeas: Szymanski, Kulczyk, Schiavi, Jaworski Carried 4 - 1
Departmental Reports:
City Compt. – AP Check Listing #45, May 29, 2009.
City Compt. – AP Check Listing #46, June 4, 2009.
City Treas. – Deposits into general fund for May 2009.
City Clerk – Monthly report for May, 2009.
Moved by Jaworski, seconded by Schiavi to receive and file.
Nays: Haxton Yeas: Szymanski, Kulczyk, Schiavi, Jaworski Carried 4 - 1
Communications from the Council:
Agenda Items:
Non-Bargaining Personnel
To: City Council
I, Andrea Haxton, First Ward Councilwoman, ask the Council to rescind non-bargaining personnel ordinance, adopted March 15, 2009.
ANDREA HAXTON, COUNCIL MEMBER
Moved by Szymanski, seconded by Jaworski, to receive and file.
Nays: Haxton Yeas: Szymanski, Kulczyk, Schiavi, Jaworski Carried 4 - 1
Flood Insurance
To: City Council
As you know, our current council and past council members have worked to eradicate the flood insurance cost. I seek your support to opened discuss the city's position on this serious problem.
ANDREA HAXTON, COUNCIL MEMBER
Moved by Szymanski, seconded by Jaworski, to receive and file.
Nays: Haxton Yeas: Szymanski, Kulczyk, Schiavi, Jaworski Carried 4 - 1
************************************************** ********
Time Study on City Hall/DPW positions
To: City Council
I request bids through our purchasing department to do a time study on all jobs in Lackawanna city hall and the DPW.
ANDREA HAXTON, COUNCIL MEMBER
Moved by Szymanski, seconded by Jaworski to receive and file
Nays: Haxton Yeas: Szymanski, Kulczyk, Schiavi, Jaworski Carried 4 - 1
Hand Swipe Time Clock
To: City Council
Asks for support to institute a policy whereas all employees will be mandated to use the swipe time clock to include, city officials, department heads and board members that work for the city.
ANDREA HAXTON, COUNCIL MEMBER
Moved by Schiavi, seconded by Szymanski to receive and file.
Nays: Haxton Yeas: Szymanski, Kulczyk, Schiavi, Jaworski Carried 4 - 1
All they did is laugh at me when I tried to protect citizens from "theft of governmental services". Ha, but sad, very sad.:(
Remember I told your all that Charles Jaworski told me "receive and file" means --""throw in the garbage"".
