Not surprisingly, a big nothing burger:
Responding to accusations from County Comptroller Matthew Beadnell, Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny said he works many more hours for the county than he gets paid for.
www.syracuse.com
I'm sure this pissing match will end well. Highlight is mine (for the most salient point she makes). I have heard that this Beadnell character spends a good deal of time at Bellevue. Whether or not that's appropriate I'll leave for others to decide, but the hypocrisy is impressive.
"September 10, 2019
Matthew J. Beadnell
Comptroller
421 Montgomery St, 14th Fl
Syracuse, NY 13202
Dear Comptroller Beadnell:
I write in regard to your Monday, September 9, 2019 press conference relative to your office's investigation into Election Commissioner Czarny's work hours. I did not hear in your remarks the question of whether Democratic Commissioner Czarny met his 35 hour per week required work time. I know personally he spends far more than that many hours per week on his work, but as you stated yesterday, "Czarny has sometimes worked his second job as a rideshare driver during the regular business hours of the Board of Elections without taking vacation time off from the county job. The overlap was infrequent but improper."
You also stated you "would have conducted a similar investigation against Republican Elections Commissioner Michelle Sardo if the same circumstances had arisen." All of this review based on a phone tip.
Interestingly, you also stated you "briefed Tom Dadey, the Onondaga County Republican Party Chairman, on the matter and understand that your allegations could be regarded as politically motivated because Czarny is a Democrat."
It's unclear where in your non-partisan professional role it would necessitate contacting a political party official, yet similarly I did not receive the same courtesy call as Chair of the Onondaga County Democratic Party.
You described yesterday the Onondaga County Comptroller’s office is one that investigates and audits county offices. I am glad to hear this as I received a phone call tip yesterday that several Onondaga County employees have spent enormous hours (far more than 94 over 18 months as you communicated Commissioner Czarny spent), not utilizing accruals, which you stated were necessary, at the Bellevue Country Club during work hours. I'm sure this same level of improper but frequent time spent is something the Comptroller's office would be very concerned with as ensuring everyone is assessed equally is the foundation of independent oversight.
To that end, I respectfully request the same level of subpoena review and scrutiny of the Bellevue Country Club's records over the same period of time, to ensure County employees/elected officials were not abusing work hour improprieties and forward the same to District Attorney Fitzpatrick for his review of potential illegalities. As with the time sheets you received for your prior investigation, I am sure sure Bellevue maintains a tee time system where a simple download of names and times can be easily acquired. If you require specific County employee names I will forward those along upon your request.
I look forward to your thorough review and upcoming investigation into my inquiry.
Sincerely,
Pamela J. Hunter
Chair, Onondaga County Democratic Party"
