State audit of Credit Card Use

[OldTymeRevival]

So where is the paper work for the expendatures?



Did the 12 or so people travel in groups?

What may not have found it's way into the shredder may have been creatively recounted by way of voucher... yet whatever the reason or methodology two administrations, Clark and then Piotrowski, couldn't harness the situation and set it straight. That's how the culture of no accountability was born!

[WNYresident]

What may not have found it's way into the shredder may have been creatively recounted by way of voucher... yet whatever the reason or methodology two administrations, Clark and then Piotrowski, couldn't harness the situation and set it straight. That's how the culture of no accountability was born!

If anyone is holding documentation that would open the lid on this I'd like to know what are they waiting for. It's a dis-service to the community to hold that type of stuff back.

[OldTymeRevival]

So where is the paper work for the expendatures?



Did the 12 or so people travel in groups?

Travel for every purpose thinkable was the norm, whether individually or in groups to: retreats, here and in Canada; Association of NYS Youth Bureau conferences and national service conventions; service projects- as far as Mississippi, Louisiana, Utah; training's of any nature all at great expense, top of the line hotels, restaurants, and simply indiscriminate spending and waste. I guess where there's no accountability this type of abuse occurs.

Can you imagine a service project in a City of Buffalo private Catholic scholarship school for underprivileged boys would be concluded with an extravagant (Maybe $3,000.00 plus) thank you party for the "partners" in the project and serving GoldSchlagar shots till the wee hours at the Burchfield Nature and Art Center? That's after spending maybe $50 or $60 to keep a Home Depot manager and project partner in Red Bull throughout the day? Can you say, OUT OF CONTROL?

[Hscout]

You have to go back before Wally, when Paul Clark allowed Mark to do as he wanted without oversight, and in many cases with his blessing. As long as Mark could make Clark look good in the press, and with the Albany and Washington crowds, he didn't care what Mark did. I think you'd find the credit cards date back to the Clark administration. I would bet, that in some way, Clark enjoyed the benefits of those cards as well.

It's unfortunate that the comptroller issued such a general statement without naming names. It truely blurs the facts in the case.

The audit shouldn't have named AmeriCorps (as it is today) because as you said this goes back to when Clark was Supervisor, and prior to Aug 2008 when AmeriCorps split from the Youth Bureau. What I am saying is AmeriCorps (today) shouldn't have to suffer because the town gave out credit cards to some "employees" under the Clark administration.

[FisherRd]

Hscout,
You keep repeating the same thing over and over. Lazarra was and still is the "man" at whatever the current name/classification that "Americorp" is using, right?
He's the one that did this. If Americorp (or whatever current name they are using) doesn't want to be associated with these deeds then they need to seperate themselves from Lazarra. Until they do that, they are endorsing him and the behavior.

Same players involved, regardless of what they call themselves.

[Hscout]

While I agree that this issue may not be limited to Americorps that is not a justification for what occurred.

It is not justification to blame AmeriCorps (today) for the credit card held by a "town employee" years ago.

[FisherRd]

It is not justification to blame AmeriCorps (today) for the credit card held by a "town employee" years ago.

You are being purposefully obtuse, right?

What is the name of that "town employee"? Does he now, or has he ever worked for Americorps or any other related and almost identical name?

Whatever your agenda is, you aren't convincing anyone...

[OldTymeRevival]

The audit shouldn't have named AmeriCorps (as it is today) because as you said this goes back to when Clark was Supervisor, and prior to Aug 2008 when AmeriCorps split from the Youth Bureau. What I am saying is AmeriCorps (today) shouldn't have to suffer because the town gave out credit cards to some "employees" under the Clark administration.

The Town itself did not issue credit cards to anyone of its own volition, but at the behest of the management of AmeriCorps and the director of Youth Bureau- ML. Just another complicated, convoluted matter the Town is left with to sort out; and one in which it's easy to see how it becomes an easily corruptible situation. Once issued, it was AmeriCoprp's and the Youth Bureau's duty to provide the Town with the proper documentation on the use of the cards and they did not- not accurately and not timely. This mismanagement continued until the cards were shredded and returned to the Town- still unresolved. It's the same management, with the exception of its recently departed COO, and all the cardholder, more or less, still remain in the employ of WNY AmeriCorps- so who do you blame and hold accountable?

[WNYresident]

It is not justification to blame AmeriCorps (today) for the credit card held by a "town employee" years ago.

The credit cards were used for americorps benefit. What business was the person on while the cards were being used? Town business or business relating to americorps? And is the person who ok'd the use on some of these cards still working out of the office where the group moved to in South buffalo?

[OldTymeRevival]

The credit cards were used for americorps benefit. What business was the person on while the cards were being used? Town business or business relating to americorps? And is the person who ok'd the use on some of these cards still working out of the office where the group moved to in South buffalo?

AmeriCorps; Yes, they continue to work for AmeriCorps in S Buffalo. While the Youth Bureau was run simultaneously and out of the same location for the most part all of it's activities were self-sustaining and fees associated with the few programs paid for their themselves. The majority of the charges on these cards were activities related to AmeriCorps programs and projects- benefitting individual AmeriCorps members and a majority of times benefitting projects in the City of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and very little in the Town of W Seneca.

[WNYresident]

What I'd like to know is why did so much money from property owners in WS not be monitored. When credit card statements came in and listed cash advances didn't anyone look?

[FisherRd]

The credit cards were used for americorps benefit. What business was the person on while the cards were being used? Town business or business relating to americorps? And is the person who ok'd the use on some of these cards still working out of the office where the group moved to in South buffalo?

Hscout obviously has an agenda, because there isn't a soul alive that wouldn't see the point we've literally spelled out for her on numerous occasions.

[WNYresident]

So where do we think the gift cards went to?

[Psycho1]

It is not justification to blame AmeriCorps (today) for the credit card held by a "town employee" years ago.

Are you unable to grasp the concept that the "Town employee" in this scenario, is Mark Lazarra, CEO AmeriCorps (today)? Can we make it any clearer for you. Mark orchestrated this whole illusion, for his personal gain.

Or, perhaps, you are one of the few delusional individuals that think this man is above reproach. Maybe you are someone fearing that your name will come out as a benefactor in Mark's scheme to defraud West Seneca?

We have been down this road to often, not to recognize one of Mark's people shilling for him on this site. Perhaps you were once know by another name in this forum. Your writing style is beginning to look familiar. You're ignoring statements by others, side stepping direct questions, and repeatedly using one statement. (See quotation above)

Let me see... who has become mysteriously absent recently? Res, Fisher, SoE, OTR, anyone want to take a guess? Oh, Manny... you out there?

[wnyfuture]

Hscout,
You keep repeating the same thing over and over. Lazarra was and still is the "man" at whatever the current name/classification that "Americorp" is using, right?
He's the one that did this. If Americorp (or whatever current name they are using) doesn't want to be associated with these deeds then they need to seperate themselves from Lazarra. Until they do that, they are endorsing him and the behavior.

Same players involved, regardless of what they call themselves.

They can call themselves Canadacorp for that matter, FisherRd is correct, until they do that, they're still associated with any negative attention until they end the association.

Graber continued to defend AmeriCorps, and their expenditures and book keeoing methods, in an effort to protect his wife who worked for AC.

And the registered voters of West Seneca continue to elect Graber.....Go figure and they elected Paul Clark again