Democracy In Albany - New York Politics ||

Jennings vs Soares

By DIA, Section News
Posted on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 06:00:10 AM EST

One of my main criticisms of Jerry Jennings is that he hires people because of who they are, not what they know. We had him do a "nationwide search" that resulted in him deciding the best qualified person in the country to be the head of planning for Albany was his spokesman. And then of course there was Nick D'Antonio being put in charge of DGS. They didn't even bother with the "nation wide search" story on that one as it wouldn't be plausible that there wasn't someone in the country who might have more than a high school education and some experience running a large city service department. It doesn't get much worse than that (well, maybe Sweeney's ex-wife's gig working or Powers, but that is a toss up, and it looks like Big John might have to go to the Big House after all).

Apparently we have a new contender in this race to see who can put their buddies in high paid tax payer funded positions that they aren't qualified for and that is David Soares. Back when he first got elected he put Richard Arthur in charge of his press. The press releases that were sent out were regularly mocked by the former blogger at the Albany Eye. Deservedly so. This guy was not qualified to handle PR. That was clear. So Soares hired Jack McEneny's kid for the job instead. And promoted Arthur to basically run his whole office. That worked out well, huh?

“The Director of Administration has demonstrated a total disregard for fiscal management, a total lack of compliance with county guidelines for the use of the petty cash fund and exhibits a sense of entitlement that is dangerous to the fiscal matters of the District Attorney’s office,” Conners wrote.

Those are your tax dollars. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, doesn't it?

Conners said that in more than 130 petty cash audits during the past 12 years, his office had “never encountered the problems with basic bookkeeping, accounting and petty cash account management that the Director of Administration for the DA presents.”

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Jennings vs Soares | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)

This smells (none / 0) (#1)
by Tom Paine on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 10:28:25 AM EST

This does not smell good for Soares, and it is also troubling that he seems to be blowing off the audit as a political hit. Maybe it is. So what. He is smart enough to know he has enemies, and this sort of basic stuff needs to be squared away at all times. This isn't amateur hour.

: THe bigger they are the harder they fall... (none / 0) (#2)
by mailer daemon on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:57:49 PM EST

Since Soares has no opponent, what the hell does he have to lose?
The fact of the matter is that he has built his image as a "do gooder" who is above reproach.
Well, he has some idiot operative of the WFP/citizens' action in his office messing up his accounting. He got his wrist slapped.
"Why is he keeping him there?" should be asked. Because the WFP got him elected and he OWES them. How much you want to bet that he DOES NOT get fired?
If this was a private company, he would have been fired.
And what about this panel of experts? Will he pay them with taxpayers money? How many of them are connected with the WFP? The only one being political is Soares who has hired people who are tied to his campaign...
Didn't one of them run against COnners a few years back?
Talk about sour grapes.
The press was waiting for something, any little morsel of information that could tarnish his perfect image, and they got a stupid petty cash audit and ran with it.
Soares should spend more time in Albany County taking care of Albany county issues and Albany County residents, and his ALBANY COUNTY office instead of gallivanting off to Florida or whatever city on the taxpayers dime.
If he had, maybe he would have realized that this guy was screwing up his books and actually would have done something about it.

[ Parent ]

Perspective (none / 0) (#3)
by Mike the Friday Caller on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 11:14:23 PM EST

Comptroller Michael F. Conners said that by statute, the petty cash fund is only allowed to have $5,000 in it, but the audit found the account had a total of $351,000 after money was deposited there that was intended to be used for restitution to victims in a recent criminal case. The victims were also overpaid by a total of $804, the audit found.

So in all, they found an error rate of less than 1/3 of 1%.

It doesn't excuse the lax adherence in terms of keeping up with the statutory regs that limit the account to $5K, but... anyone want to bet against the fact that this was the system they took over from Paul Clyne?

So we went from a DA that let rapists walk because they happened to be Sheldon Silver's Chief counsel to a DA that is basically honest but messed up some bookkeeping...

I hope things get squared away (there really is no need for a six-figure petty cash account and the statute makes sense), but let's not crucify Soares over this.

Instead... maybe we start thinking about why he continues to use the excuse that the things that came before he took office aren't his problem... Excuse me, but has the statute of limitations run out yet? There's an awful lot of criminality to be cleaned up in the PD... if nobody is above the law, maybe it's time we saw that principle made real...

C'mon... kids being shot all over Albany and cops are selling machine guns out the back fuckin door?!

It's time Soares does something.

I'll be done with law school in May.

DON"T make me come up there, David... ;-)

: hey mike (none / 0) (#4)
by DIA on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 06:33:59 AM EST

Good to hear from you.
I try to apply one standard to everyone. I certainly wouldn't let Jennings off the hook if anyone every audited the city's finances and they came back with this report.
However, my main issue with Soares is the same as yours. There are several outstanding issues of city employees breaking the law. And nothing has been done.
He ran on one standard of justice for everyone. I have not seen any evidence of that so far.
Nick D'Antonio was stealing tax payer dollars. He has admitted as much. He just said it was ok because he was using the money for "birthday parties". What happened? Why he got promoted, of course.
It would appear to be business as usual in Albany.

[ Parent ]

DIA NAIVE? NOT SO (none / 0) (#5)
by A Muse on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 11:10:58 AM EST

Naïve you are not. I find that I can be cynical about some things that are so outrageous and over which I have no control. The issues that you address make me very sad. The greatest motivators are fear and greed and the politicians within Albany use both effectively.
Albany is sinking but the Captain is drunk behind the wheel. I had been hoping for $5.00 gas and as odd as it sounds it will take a ground swell to change the direction of this City and this Country. I hope the presidential candidates are up to it. During he Nixon administration the country found itself in a similar situation and gas lines for blocks. Americans were asked to tighten their belts, drive no faster than 55 mph, lower the thermostats in homes and businesses; new industries that had languished for years began to take off. Wind, solar, wood and pellet stoves, window coverings, geo-thermal, companies were just getting going and the price of oil came down a bit and the country went back to doing business as usual.
I think it will take a series of devastating hardships greater than the Twin Towers, Katrina, and other events that we all have had to endure. The problem is that we all have not had to endure them. Five to eight dollar gas will raise the cost of the basic needs of all Americans. Maybe it will take more people dying from freezing to death because they do not have a warm shelter or dieing of starvation, however, I do not even think that will do it. A man froze to death on the steps of Symphony Hall in Springfield MA a few years ago at a time when housing and shelters were having difficulty negotiating with the City. There is still a problem.
The status quo is that 5 - 6 people must die car accidents at a place that a stop sign should have been placed before it gets placed. What is the value of the stop sign? Five lives. When we go to War or make a decision on the local level costs are determined and in those costs are the costs of human lives. What is the value of educating 95% of all students with a high school education? What is the cost of 1 life lost in a war?
Without question, the City of Albany is in an extremely difficult position, however, the leadership need not rule by fear and greed to make substantial changes that can positively impact on the residents who live in the county. The City has not had the leadership it deserved.

What will it take (none / 0) (#6)
by A Muse on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 11:24:40 AM EST

My prior post was in response to What Will IT Take by DIA. I mistakenly entered it here. Sorry.

Qualifications (none / 0) (#7)
by A Muse on Tue Aug 12, 2008 at 06:04:03 AM EST

Jennings who worked at the Albany High School has no interest in interviewing or hiring individuals who are smart or educated. A national search would not resolve that problem.

Jennings vs Soares | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)

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