Democratic County Legislator James Sheppard wants Monroe County’s newly created public integrity office to step into a messy and odd political dispute in Irondequoit. But there’s a slight problem: the office isn’t up and running yet.Â
County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo last week announced the start of a national search for the office’s director. In a statement released early this morning, Sheppard called on Dinolfo to expedite the search.Â
Sheppard’s concern is with recent statements by Monroe County Republican Committee chair Bill Reilich, as well as with statements and actions by officials with the Monroe County Industrial Development Agency.
In a misguided attempt to sully the reputation of Irondequoit Supervisor Adam Bello, a Democrat who will be sworn in as Monroe County clerk tomorrow, Reilich claimed that Irondequoit’s I-Square development is failing under Bello’s watch. He said that I-Square has defaulted on a tax incentive agreement with the town, the West Irondequoit school district, and COMIDA.
COMIDA then sent out its own statement backing Reilich up.
During an appearance on WXXI’s Connections program Monday afternoon, I-Square owners Mike and Wendy Nolan said that COMIDA hasn’t notified them of a problem. And they questioned why Reilich had been informed before them. And They’ve said that they intend to sue Reilich for defamation.Â
“Public institutions charged with developing local businesses and creating jobs cannot and should not be used for personal gain, yet the chairman’s statements indicate that he used this independent authority as a tool to further his political agenda,” Sheppard said in his statement.
He says that the county’s new integrity office should open an investigation into Reilich’s and COMIDA’s conduct as its first order of businesses.
Sheppard voted against the legislation that created the county’s Office of Public Integrity over questions about the office’s powers.Â
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This article appears in Mar 23-29, 2016.
Bill Reilich it seems is upset to the threat of his County Sponsored Gravy train. Mr Reilich should be careful. I am sure he doesn’t really want to have folks come and sniff around and find something he wasn’t aware he should hide. Maggie isn’t around to have his back and he is no Steve Minarik who was Teflon when it came to getting caught with his hand in the Cookie Jar. With Mr Gullos current situation in limbo. He might have to clean up his act himself….
Politicians are in a “class” all by themselves, but in that effort most are “classless”. Their closets are full of skeletons and the “game” appears to be if, and how long, you can keep those in the closet and from the other politician. It isn’t a Democrat thing, nor republican. It is, however, an individual thing. Throwing stones within the confines of a glass house will sooner or later break glass. Then the “broken window theory” sets in and there is broken glass all over the place. It does keep the lawyer in business though.
Ms. Dinolfo has her first true test whether or not she represents real change and a honest and transparent government or just more of the same. I always thought she was a product of the ole boy machine. I was encouraged with her Public Integrity panel. If she stays quiet, hoping this will pass, we will have our answer. If she investigates and nothing is found to be untoward in this mess created by Mr. Reilich then so be it. If she does nothing then we know this is all window dressing and means nothing has changed.