After charges of stealing funds, Spota sends letter telling officials to better handle taxpayer dollars, though some say they’re doing the job
By Erik German
Newsday (New York)
Copyright 2007 Newsday, Inc.
SUFFOLK, N.Y. — The warning letter Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota sent to all county fire districts began arriving in mailboxes this week, but fire officials said the better-run districts already do what Spota says they should do when handling taxpayer funds.
Spota’s letter follows the arrest last week of seven current and former members of Suffolk fire districts on charges of stealing district funds. In Selden, prosecutors accused five fire officials of stealing $52,600; in Terryville, a department member was accused of pocketing $5,200; in Montauk, they charged a former treasurer with taking $500,000.
“In these districts, a total lack of oversight is readily apparent,” Spota’s letter says. “In others, an unacceptable level of fiscal abuse has been revealed. As a consequence, taxpayers’ dollars have been stolen or wasted.”
Elsewhere in the letter, Spota said that “to prevent further theft and waste of taxpayer money,” districts should submit to regular audits, document and review travel expenses, adhere to New York State bidding laws and keep better track of hours worked by district employees.
In the letter, Spota cited his own service as a volunteer firefighter before emphasizing that “only a very small number of people have strayed from their responsibilities.”
Some said they’re already following the rules. “We’re doing it now,” said Joseph Danowski, a 16-year commissioner in the Manorville Fire District. “It’s not going to affect anybody at all. I’m sure most districts are keeping track of everything.”
Auditors scrutinize his district frequently. “If the auditor sees that we bought something we shouldn’t have, he’s going to tell us,” he said.
The Farmingville Fire District is examined frequently by outsiders, said commissioner Robert Wallace. “They have an outside accountant do the books every year,” he said.
In Selden, one official said audits alone won’t suffice, citing the 1998 state comptroller’s audit he said commissioners ignored.
“These guys were told by an auditor that what they were doing was wrong, but the audit went into a drawer,” said the official, who declined to give his name, citing Spota’s probe. “There should be mandatory reporting to someone in authority if commissioners don’t respond. It’s got to be sent to someone with teeth.”