Giambra now complaining about "political" jobs!!! HA HA!

[Linda_D]

Here's a SNOOZE story (12/23/2005) about more politics-as-usual at the Erie County Water Authority. What I find really funny is Joel Giambra is the one complaining about somebody getting a job based on political connections!!! At least Kuwik has credentials and experience to qualify for the job, unlike so many of King Joel's "family and friends" who also proved incompetent.

I've added the bolding.

The Erie County Water Authority has hired veteran County Legislator Edward J. Kuwik for a $93,600 job that was not advertised and for which nobody else applied.
And County Executive Joel A. Giambra contends that it was traded for a political vote.

"I believe there was a quid pro quo on a vote for commissioner and the job being given, and [District Attorney] Frank Clark should look at it," Giambra said. "It stinks that there's a political deal here."

The county executive said he believes that Kuwik, a Lackawanna Democrat who announced last spring he would not seek a 12th term, voted for the appointments or reappointments of Commissioners Frank E. Swiatek and Robert J. Lichtenthal in exchange for the senior distribution engineer job Kuwik is scheduled to assume on Jan. 3.

"Everyone knows what happened here, and it happened," Giambra said. "It stinks."

Swiatek called the charge "ridiculous," defended Kuwik as qualified, and questioned if the county executive conducted an open interview process for all his appointees.

"There were 13 votes for me," he said. "To say I made a deal with one legislator is ridiculous because I didn't need to."

Swiatek, chairman of the authority, said Thursday he was excited about the appointment of Kuwik, 62, who is retiring from the Legislature next week after 22 years.

"I've known Ed for 30 years," Swiatek said. "I like Ed, I respect him and I trust him. And he's qualified."

Swiatek pointed to Kuwik's engineering degree from the University at Buffalo and his experience as chief engineer and mayor of the City of Lackawanna. He will be responsible for the authority's day-to-day operations, at a salary 10 percent less than his predecessor.

"I have total, total confidence in him," Swiatek said.

Not everyone connected with the Water Authority is as enthusiastic, with some insiders claiming Kuwik's appointment was engineered in Democratic Headquarters - a charge Erie County Democratic Chairman Leonard R. Lenihan denies.

But frequent critic George F. Hasiotis, a former authority commissioner, said it has become an "extension of political interests" in recent years.

"You know they've lost touch when unnecessary political jobs are extended to facilitate someone's retirement," he said. "That's not the function of the Water Authority or any other public entity."

Other sources with direct knowledge of the situation point out that Kuwik provided a key vote for appointing two authority commissioners - Swiatek and Lichtenthal. Those sources say while hiring and firing is carried out by Democratic and Republican officials of the authority, that power is ultimately derived from a vote of two of the three authority commissioners.

Kuwik's vote for Swiatek and Lichtenthal came at a time in 2004 when two others with political connections - Democratic fund raiser Hormoz Mansouri and former Erie County Conservative Chairman William A. Delmont - were also under consideration for commissioners' positions.

Former Erie County Democratic Chairman G. Steven Pigeon, a Giambra ally who had encouraged Mansouri's appointment, said Thursday it was an "open secret" that a deal for the Kuwik job was hatched at an April 2004 meeting at Mattie's Restaurant on Fillmore Avenue, run by the wife of Legislature Chairman George A. Holt Jr.

"It's an open secret in the political world that this deal went down at Mattie's," Pigeon said, lamenting what he says are backward steps from the days when he was party chairman from 1996 to 2002.

He said Lenihan conducted the meeting that led to the deal. He said he did not have direct knowledge but talked to several people attending the meeting.

Lenihan and Holt denied Pigeon's charge.

"Absolutely not," Lenihan said. "We never discussed anything about Ed Kuwik, and I'll put my hand on a Bible about that."

Holt said the meeting was to discuss his concerns about increasing employment opportunities at the authority for women and minorities.

"These other issues were never discussed in my presence," he said.

Commissioner Acea Mosey-Pawlowski would offer no comment Thursday, except to note that she is not seeking reappointment.

Swiatek acknowledged the position was not posted and that nobody else was invited to apply. He said Kuwik asked about the position being vacated by the retiring David Jaros, and that he and other authority officials believed he was qualified. When asked why only a politically connected individual was considered, Swiatek replied: "Are you suggesting he should be blackballed?"

Swiatek was also asked if he felt Kuwik was the most qualified, especially since nobody else was considered.

"Yeah, from my standpoint," he replied. "Qualified is a very elusive term."

Swiatek said he had "some conversations" with Lenihan about the appointment.

But Lenihan said late Thursday his only involvement was to supply a recommendation for Kuwik when authority officials called.

"Anyone who knows Ed Kuwik knows he has unquestionable integrity and character," Lenihan said. "He applied for it, and they called me."

Kuwik did not return phone calls seeking his comment.

The appointment comes just weeks after The Buffalo News revealed the authority, which raised water rates in five straight years, pays a Washington lobbying firm $20,000 a month with little to show for the investment.

But Swiatek defended the authority's performance over the past few years, pointing to a decrease of 70 positions over the past 10 years, an increase in its customer base, favorable audits by the state comptroller, and receipt of a top management award in October from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.

[WNYresident]

this crap has to stop.

This is that crap which give's our politicians the negative image they have so deservingly earned.

[Treeguy]

He actually called someone "immoral". What a joke. Like hitler calling someone a murderer. The guy is so out of touch. Maybe someday he'll wake up. I thought he would say somthing like " only I can dole out 90k a yr jobs !!!" It is really commical to watch his interviews. And to think the snowplow guys aren't going to win their "one man order" on a grievance. It was funny to see the one guy say "then God spoke" refering to Giambra and his order.

[WNYresident]

Senior Distribution System Engineer

Mar 12, 2002 12:00 PM

Location: Sacramento, CA
Job Category & Industry: Engineering - Energy
Career Level: Mid Career (5+ years of experience)
Job Title: Senior Distribution System Engineer
Job Type: FULL-TIME Employee
Degree Required: 4 yr.
Experience Req: at least 5 yr.
Travel Req: none
Job Description:
We are seeking a highly motivated electrical engineer, experienced in electric utility distribution systems, who emphasizes best practices in performance management, planning and safety. We offer a challenging and rewarding environment with highly competitive salaries, outstanding benefits and career development opportunities. In this challenging assignment, the successful candidate will be responsible for providing effective performance management of the distribution system and component operations including forecasting electrical load growths, analyzing system impacts and deficiencies and developing medium and long-range distribution system improvement plans. Minimum qualifications include a BS degree in Electrical Engineering, possession of a Professional Engineer license from the State of California (or a state that has a reciprocal agreement with California), and a minimum of 5 years of distribution system engineering work experience.

The Ex Legislator has these types of qualifications? I wanted to see what the "senior distribution engineer" was and pulled up that job ad.

What did he do before being a legislator?

[Cgoodsp466]

Originally posted by WNYresident
this crap has to stop.

This is that crap which give's our politicians the negative image they have so deservingly earned.

Wow you realy think so. Its time for a change,wait that wont happen becuase Erie County is full of knuckle draggers who vote for these clowns.You all get what you deserve.This is why when I see an obituary of a politician I celebrate.

[biker]

Then today's story is Joel steering business to a developer-gumba-friend of his named Rocco.

Not one of these slugs will clean up the Erie County Water Authority, 'cause they need it there when they parachute out.

[OneEmerald]

Originally posted by Cgoodsp466
....Erie County is full of knuckle draggers ...

Who you calling knuckle draggers?? You know, that was very insulting.

[biker]

Originally posted by OneEmerald
Who you calling knuckle draggers?? You know, that was very insulting.

It's not like he said "Everyone in Erie County is a knuckle dragger."

Unless you are taking this as a personal reference........