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LEGISLATOR TODARO. LEGISLATOR DUPREE PRESENT.
LEGISLATOR PRESENT. CHAIR. BIDEN. PRESENT. CHAIR.
MYERS. PRESENT. QUORUM. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU.
WE HAD SCHEDULED TODAY FROM THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE FLEET THE HEAD OF THE FLEET MARIBEL, WHO HAD A VACATION PLANNED, AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BY 1215, SO HE'S GOING TO COME BACK IF WE NEED HIM.
SO FOR OUR COMMITTEE, I THOUGHT HE COULD COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE OFF THAT, WE I THOUGHT WE COULD EITHER ASK HIM WRITTEN QUESTIONS IF WE HAVE ANY, OR WE COULD HAVE HIM COME ON THE 23RD, WHICH IS CUTTING IT CLOSE. WE HAVE HERE WITH US TODAY, WHICH WE CAN DISCUSS IT AMONGST OURSELVES LATER AFTER WE HAVE TODAY DA AND THE DA'S OFFICE. AND WE HAVE THE CLERK AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE DA'S HAS INDICATED TO ME THAT HE HAS A MEETING THAT IS SCHEDULED SHORTLY AND SO HAS THE CLERK HAS A MEETING AT 1:00.
SO I HAD AGREED TO TAKE OUT AN ORDER TO TAKE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FIRST ON HIS OWN STATEMENT.
AND ANY QUESTIONS, TAKE THE CLERK SECOND, AND WITHOUT YOUR OTHER PEOPLE SPEAKING JUST FOR YOU SO THAT YOU CAN GO AND THEN THEY CAN, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED BY OTHER PEOPLE, WE CAN ASK THOSE PEOPLE, DOES THAT SOUND OKAY WITH EVERYBODY? ALL RIGHT, SO I WILL HAVE THE DA THE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS PROVIDED CERTAIN DOCUMENTS TO US IN THE PAST.
AND I WOULD HAVE HIM SPEAK FIRST AND THEN THE THE CLERK HAS PROVIDED ALL OF US NOW AN UPDATED LIST OF THE ONLY SIX VEHICLES THAT THEY HAVE ASSIGNED, AND HE'LL SPEAK SECOND. SO IF YOU WOULD START.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR. YOU KNOW, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A STATEMENT AND I'M GOING TO PROVIDE SOME DETAIL.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK THEM.
THE VEHICLES ARE ALL LEASED THROUGH THE COUNTY'S ENTERPRISE LEASING PROGRAM.
SO APPROXIMATELY 2%. THAT'S $239,000 OF THE MORE THAN $11.3 MILLION THAT'S ALLOCATED TO THE ERIE COUNTY BUREAU OF FLEET SERVICES. SO OUR OFFICE CAN BE SPECIFIC, HAS 15 VEHICLES ASSIGNED TO OUR CONFIDENTIAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS, WHICH ARE ONLY USED DURING THEIR SCHEDULED WORK DAY, WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS AFTER HOURS.
13 OF THE 15 VEHICLES ARE HOUSED AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GARAGE.
THERE ARE NINE TAKE HOME VEHICLES OUT OF THE 23 ASSIGNED TO MYSELF, A COUPLE OF MY BUREAU CHIEFS, MY LEADERSHIP TEAM AND A YOU KNOW, THE TWO CHIEF INVESTIGATORS, AS I MENTIONED, THREE OF THE TAKE HOME VEHICLES ARE UNMARKED VEHICLES, WHICH ARE ASSIGNED TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE TWO CHIEF INVESTIGATORS. THEY'RE EQUIPPED WITH EMERGENCY LIGHTS, SIRENS, RADIO. THE SIX OTHER TAKE HOME VEHICLES ARE ASSIGNED TO THE THREE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND THE THREE BUREAU CHIEFS, WHICH I CAN BE SPECIFIC ABOUT. AND ESSENTIALLY I'VE COME UP WITH A POLICY WHICH I SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE.
THE DA'S OFFICE HAS A POLICY THAT ALL EMPLOYEES ARE EXPECTED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE POLICY, WHICH IS, I THINK YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH. AND THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME CLEAR INDICATION THAT POLICY THAT APPLIES TO US OR DOESN'T APPLY TO US. YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT THE EMPLOYEES WHO OPERATE A COUNTY VEHICLE FOR MY OFFICE WHILE CONDUCTING COUNTY BUSINESS.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY'RE ALWAYS OBLIGATED TO COMPLY WITH THE VEHICLE TRAFFIC LAW.
SECOND OF ALL, NO COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY. YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
NO COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FIREARMS, LAPTOPS, CELL PHONES, COUNTY ID, LAW ENFORCEMENT BADGES IS ALLOWED TO BE LEFT IN THE UNOCCUPIED COUNTY VEHICLES.
MISUSE OF COUNTY OWNED VEHICLES MAY RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
SO THE EMPLOYEES ARE PROVIDED USE OF A COUNTY OWNED VEHICLE.
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WHICH REQUIRES FREQUENT TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE OFFICE BOTH DURING AND AFTER NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS.THEIR DUTIES INCLUDE FOLLOWING THINGS WHICH INVOLVE THE USE OF.
THESE INVESTIGATIONS OFTENTIMES INCLUDE SURVEILLANCE AND CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS OF WITNESSES TRANSPORTING TWO OUROFFICE VICTIMS, WITNESSES AND DEFENDANTS SEARCHING FOR WITNESSES, SERVING SUBPOENAS, OBTAINING CERTIFICATES OF CONVICTIONS FROM THE VARIOUS COUNTY COURTS.
THAT INCLUDES 37 JUSTICE COURTS ACROSS THE COUNTY, GETTING EVIDENCE AND REPORTS FROM POLICE DEPARTMENTS, EXECUTING COURT ORDERS AND ARREST WARRANTS, GOING OUT OF STATE TO TRANSPORT PRISONERS BACK TO GARIN COUNTY, TRAVELING TO THE APPELLATE DIVISION IN ROCHESTER.
THEY'RE COMING AND GOING ALL DAY FROM OUR OFFICE.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE THERE AND TAKE HOME VEHICLES.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S A REASONABLE AND NECESSARY DECISION.
DECISION TO PROVIDE JUST THE TWO CHIEF INVESTIGATORS ACCESS TO TAKE HOME VEHICLES.
THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND CERTAIN BUREAU CHIEFS WHO HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED VEHICLES WILL DO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT REQUIRE THEIR TRAVEL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, BOTH DURING AND AFTER BUSINESS HOURS.
THEY GO ON STATE AND FEDERAL PROSECUTORS OFFICES, CITY, TOWN AND VILLAGE COURTS, COLLEGE CAMPUSES, LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND MEETINGS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN CRIME SCENES.
WE'RE ASSIGNED SOMETIMES TO COVER CASES IN NIAGARA COUNTY, CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, ETC..
THEY ATTEND AND CONDUCT TRAININGS AT DIFFERENT LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMIES AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY GO TO LAW SCHOOL. THEY'RE CONSTANTLY AT MEETINGS ACROSS THE OFFICE.
THEY GO TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE. ERIE COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER. THE, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, CONCERN DISCUSSION REGARDING THE IRS EXEMPTION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES.
I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT AND REALIZE I'M ALREADY TALKING FOR FOR A LENGTH OF TIME HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THE COMMITTEE TOO LONG, BUT ALL OF OUR FLEET VEHICLES AS UNMARKED POLICE VEHICLES, THEY'RE UNMARKED WITH CIVILIAN LICENSE PLATES WHICH IS DONE INTENTIONALLY TO ALLOW OUR VEHICLES TO BE USED FOR INVESTIGATIVE WORK.
THE UNASSIGNED VEHICLES I MENTIONED, WE HAVE ONE UNASSIGNED DAY OF THE 23 WE HAVE.
WE HAVE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE VACANT INVESTIGATOR POSITION.
IF I FILL THAT POSITION, I WILL ASSIGN THAT VEHICLE TO TO THAT INVESTIGATOR.
OR TURN IT IN SO IT'S NOT ASSIGNED TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
THE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE, OUR, MY POLICY INDICATES THAT THE COUNTY VEHICLES SHALL BE USED FOR COUNTY BUSINESS, NOT FOR PERSONAL REASONS. WE'RE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S WITH RESPECT TO ALL OF THE ALL OF THE VEHICLES.
PERSONAL USE OF A COUNTY OWNED VEHICLE IS NOT AUTHORIZED.
THE THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT TAKE HOME ASSIGNMENT FORMS. WE ARE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE BUREAU OF FLEET SERVICES, REALLY ON A WEEKLY BASIS WHERE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR, WE HAVE WE HAVE REGULAR TURNOVER IN OUR OFFICE AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY KEEPING THEM UP TO DATE WITH WHO THESE VEHICLES ARE ASSIGNED TO, AND WE'VE NEVER RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE BUREAU OF FLEET SERVICES TO FILL OUT FORMS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHO THE VEHICLES ARE ASSIGNED TO. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THE COMMITTEE SUGGESTS THAT WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, FILL OUT A SPECIFIC FORM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL COMPLY WITH THAT.
THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT OPERATIONAL STATUS.
ALL 23 VEHICLES ARE IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION WITH NO REPORTED SERVICE ISSUES.
THE EMPLOYEES IN MY POLICY, IT INDICATES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDED WITH THE USE OF ACCOUNTING AND VEHICLE, BUT THEY'RE EXPECTED TO EXERCISE THE SAME CARE IN THE MAINTENANCE AND USE OF THAT VEHICLE AS IF IT WERE PRIVATELY OWNED BY ANY VEHICLE.
ISSUES MUST BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY TO FLEET MANAGER MARK VAUGHAN, WHO IS HERE WITH ME TODAY, AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATION CATHY COWAN. HE'S ALSO HERE WITH ME TODAY.
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ALL FUEL USAGE REPORTS ARE ACCESS AND CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE PROGRAM'S GAS PROGRAM.WE ALSO HAVE THE MONITORING ABILITY AND WE EXERCISE THAT AS PART OF OUR AS PART OF OUR SUPERVISION.
THE. OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE NEVER BEEN REQUIRED TO FILL OUT THE FUEL LOG FOR ANY COUNTY OWNED VEHICLE.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S NECESSARY AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S IN THE IN THE BEST INTEREST OR USE OF OUR TIME AND RESOURCES THAT THAT DATA, THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
OUR OFFICE IN 2025 ACCOUNTED FOR $17,468 IN FUEL COSTS FOR THE COUNTY.
THAT'S ALL 23 VEHICLES. SO $17,000, THAT'S ABOUT 0.0%, 0.08%, LESS THAN 1% OF THE COUNTY'S FUEL, WHICH IS $1.99 MILLION, LESS THAN ZERO POINT LESS THAN 1% OF IT IS ATTRIBUTED TO OUR $17,000.
THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT $760 PER VEHICLE PER YEAR.
SO I THINK THAT'S A CLEAR INDICATION NOBODY'S ABUSING THIS.
NOBODY'S TAKING THESE CARS TO DISNEYLAND. SO YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER SPECIFIC THINGS I WANT TO MENTION THAT ARE IN OUR POLICY THE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR CANNABIS PRIOR TO OR DURING THE OPERATION OF A VEHICLE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
EMPLOYEES MUST COMPLY WITH ALL VEHICLE TRAFFIC LAWS, WHICH I THINK ARE ALREADY STATED. AND IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE EMPLOYEE MUST IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATION IN COOPERATION WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
YOU KNOW, I WAS ASKED WHETHER THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR MY PREPARED STATEMENT.
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING THE DOCUMENTATION THAT THIS COMMITTEE ASKED FOR AND MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE WELL AWARE THAT YOU MIRROR THE CURRENT POLICY, BUT THEN YOU ALSO ADD AN ADDITIONAL PROTECTION BECAUSE SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO, YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH. SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOUR OFFICE FOR BEING BOTH OFFICES.
THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THE REASON WHY YOU TWO DEPARTMENTS WERE LAST IS BECAUSE THE THE PRIMARY ISSUES ARE, THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE USE IN THESE DEPARTMENTS.
ONE IS THAT IT'S TRUE OR YOU SAID, BUT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OVER 90% OF YOUR EMPLOYEES IN YOUR DEPARTMENT DON'T HAVE FLEET VEHICLES, CORRECT? YES. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND THE SAME IS TRUE ON YOURS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT UP. NUMBER TWO IS THE MILEAGE ISSUE OF HOW LITTLE MILEAGE IS USED.
YES. AND SO THE OTHER IS THAT IT THAT THEY LOOK AT, I MEAN, AT THE BEGINNING WE SAID LIKE, YOU CAN HAVE PEOPLE SUBMITTING MILEAGE, PAYING MILEAGE AND THEN SECOND LESS AS FAR AS WHAT'S THE LIABILITY OF THE COUNTY, THAT'S THE LEAST LIKELY. NEXT LIABILITY IS VEHICLES THAT ARE KEPT SOMEWHERE HERE, WHICH THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOUR OR HAS APPROXIMATELY OF YOUR VEHICLES ARE KEPT HERE AT ALL TIMES WHEN NOT ONE PERSON ISN'T WORKING.
CORRECT? YOU SAID THAT THEY'RE KEPT AT THIS LOT.
SO THAT'S LIKE THE SECOND LEAST RESTRICTIVE AND THE SIMILAR IN YOURS ON THEIRS AS WELL.
AND ON THE ONES THAT ARE USED AT, THEY HAVE SOME EQUIPMENT ON IT, BUT NOT THAT MUCH EQUIPMENT COMPARED TO LIKE THE SEWER DEPARTMENT GUY HAS LIKE 50 ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO GO.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT THE PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO AND FROM THE COURTS MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE, BUT IT MIGHT BE THAT THERE'S MORE MILEAGE THAN IT WOULD COST TO RENT IT.
BUT THE ONE THING IF YOU COULD TALK MORE ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POLICE OFFICER, THEIR JOB IS KIND OF PUBLIC THAT WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE VIDEO CAMERAS AND ALL THAT BECAUSE IT'S PUBLIC KIND OF WORK. BUT AS FAR AS WITH THE WORK THAT'S DONE BY THE LAWYERS, THAT IT'S SORT OF LIKE A PART OF A LAW FIRM CONFIDENTIALITY.
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DO YOU THINK, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHY IT'S IMPORTANT IN YOUR OPINION? FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE BUREAU CHIEFS THAT DIDN'T USED TO HAVE CARS, BUT NOW DO? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR THIS, FOR THE TAXPAYER IN TERMS OF SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEE AND IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB MORE EFFECTIVELY? SO WITH RESPECT, WITH RESPECT TO THE CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.SO JUST TO USE THE HOMICIDE BUREAU CHIEF AS AN EXAMPLE, HE GETS CALLS AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY WITH RESPECT TO A HOMICIDE THAT OCCURRED. AND HE HAS TO RESPOND OFTENTIMES TO THE SCENE, OR HE HAS TO GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT HAPPENS TO ALL OF US. HE NEEDS A VEHICLE TO DO THAT.
I DON'T WANT ANY OF MY EMPLOYEES RESPONDING TO THE SCENE OF HOMICIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND EXPOSING THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLE LICENSE PLATE, WHICH WOULD EASILY MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO GET THEIR HOME ADDRESS.
YOU KNOW, THESE THESE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT DO THESE JOBS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO EXPOSE THEIR, THEIR FAMILIES TO ANY RISK. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE A ROLE IN THAT SITUATION.
COVERING THE COURTS THERE, 37 COURTS, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE, ACROSS THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, THOSE COURTS ARE IN THERE IN BUSINESS AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY.
CHEEKTOWAGA, AMHERST, TONAWANDA DURING THE DAY.
BUT MOST OF THE TOWN AND VILLAGE COURTS OUTSIDE OF LARGE ONES ARE WORKING OFF HOURS THERE AT NIGHT.
AND THOSE PROSECUTORS AREN'T GETTING VEHICLES.
THEY'RE USING THEIR OWN VEHICLES. THEY'RE GOING RIGHT THERE. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GUY WHO'S THE PERSON WHO'S SUPERVISING THOSE COURTS, IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE. EXACTLY. THE SUPERVISING LAWYER FOR THOSE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS WHO COVER THOSE COURTS, HE OFTEN HAS TO GO OUT TO COURTS. HE OFTENTIMES COVERING COURTS FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THE WEATHER WE GET AROUND HERE AND THEY CAN'T GET THERE.
YES. WE HAVE 12 ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO COVER THE TOWN AND VILLAGE COURTS OUTSIDE THE CITY OF BUFFALO, AND THEY THEY COVER THOSE COURTS WITH THEIR OWN PERSONAL VEHICLES.
THANKS. AND THEN ARE THERE OTHER WHY DO YOU THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO NOT ALLOW PERSONAL USE OF THE VEHICLE? AND AS A AS A TAXPAYER, I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY.
I THINK IT WOULD BE YOU KNOW, EXPENSE THAT THE TAXPAYER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEAR.
OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER THE LEGISLATORS HAVE QUESTIONS? IF THERE'S QUESTIONS FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THERE.
AND THE NEXT WILL HAVE SIMILAR. AND WE THANK YOU FOR COMING.
AND WE THANK BOTH FOR COMING AND FOR REARRANGING YOUR SCHEDULE AT LEAST ONCE FOR IT AS WELL.
BOTH OF YOU. AND I JUST GIVE YOU THE SAME COURTESY OF SPEAKING FIRST AND PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE VEHICLE AT ALL, AND THAT NONE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE ABOUT TAKE HOME VEHICLES.
IF YOU COULD JUST HAVE YOUR STATEMENT ALREADY ANSWERED.
SURE, SURE. WE'LL BE. I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY STATED.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, THERE, THERE IS ONLY SIX VEHICLES THAT WERE ASSIGNED.
TWO OF THOSE VEHICLES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE THEM OVER ON A 24 HOUR BASIS.
I HAVE ONE OF THOSE VEHICLES. I DO NOT TAKE MY VEHICLE HOME.
SO OBVIOUSLY ERIE COUNTY IS GETTING A GOOD DEAL FROM ME BECAUSE I DON'T PUT IN MILEAGE AND I PREDOMINANTLY USE MY OWN PERSONAL VEHICLE IN MANY INSTANCES TO, TO HANDLE A LOT OF COUNTY BUSINESS.
HOWEVER, MEDINA BISHOP, WHO'S HERE TODAY, I WANT TO JUST TALK ABOUT HER.
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AROUND AND OBVIOUSLY DURING COVID WE HAVE FIVE APPROVED LEASE AGREEMENTS.THE DOWNTOWN LOCATION OBVIOUSLY IS IN THE BUILDING.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THERE.
COINCIDENTALLY, JUST THE OTHER DAY, I WAS DOWNTOWN WORKING ON A MATTER, AND WE GOT CALLED TO OUR DERBY LOCATION FOR A POSSIBLE CARBON MONOXIDE ISSUE. IT WAS NOT OUR OFFICE, BUT STILL, MADONNA HAD A GOAL THERE.
AND DOUBLE CHECK AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY.
WE GET ALARMS, QUESTIONS FROM THE LANDLORD, AND THAT LANGUAGE WAS IN THERE AND IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO ONCE AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WITH MY TEAM ABOUT THAT, BUT WE TECHNICALLY, EVEN THOUGH I AM ASSIGNED A TAKE HOME VEHICLE, I VERY RARELY UTILIZE IT.
MAYBE IF I'M GOING TO, FOR EXAMPLE, DO A CONFERENCE IN ROCHESTER COMING HOME LATE AT NIGHT.
BUT BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TODAY.
ONE THING I JUST, I MISSPOKE, ONE THING IS THAT ON THE, THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE IS IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE WITH MILEAGE AND YOU HAVE YEARS OF PROBABLY LIKE MORE TOWARDS 95% OF THE PEOPLE WORKING AT YOUR PLACE DON'T HAVE VEHICLES, 99%. I MEAN, IF WE HAVE 185 EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SIX VEHICLES THAT ARE WORKING DURING THE DAY FOR OUR MOBILE LOCATIONS. REMEMBER, WE'RE FROM EVERYWHERE FROM OVER 95%, OVER 95%.
CORRECT. ALL RIGHT, SO SECOND IS THAT YOU HAVE THEN THERE'S OUT OF THE VEHICLES, YOU HAVE THAT.
SO FIRST IS JUST MILEAGE. SECOND IS UNASSIGNED POOL VEHICLES.
AND OUT OF HERE ARE YOUR SIX VEHICLES. TWO OF THEM ARE.
I MEAN, ANYONE CAN USE IT LIKE THE COURIER VEHICLE.
MULTIPLE PEOPLE USE IT. CORRECT. OUTREACH CENTER, MULTIPLE PEOPLE USE IT.
SO THAT'S A THEY DON'T HAVE THAT AT THEIRS, BUT THAT'S THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE.
LIKE STATE INSURANCE FUND, THEY ONLY HAVE THREE VEHICLES AND THEY HAVE HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES AND THEY'RE ALL POOL VEHICLES. SO THREE. SO THEN YOU HAVE THESE FEW DE MINIMIS AMOUNT IN SOME WAYS. BUT OUT OF THESE VEHICLES, THE ONLY ONE THAT IS USED AS A TAKE HOME IS FOR MISS MADONNA THAT YOU SAID HERE.
I DON'T HAVE MY OFFICE. I DO HAVE AN OFFICE DOWNTOWN, BUT I DON'T SIT IN THAT OFFICE MOSTLY.
THIS MORNING I WAS AT CHEEKTOWAGA OFFICE ON GEORGE ERVIN BECAUSE THE ALARM POPPED BEFORE OPENING, SO I WENT THERE BEFORE I CHECKED THE CAMERAS.
I LIKE TO VISIT ALL THE MOBILE LOCATIONS. SO DO YOU THINK THAT THE CLERK SENDS YOU FOR BODYGUARD PURPOSES TO CHECK THE SAFETY? CORRECT. HE'S SITTING IN A SAFE PLACE DOWNTOWN.
I'M ONLY KIDDING. JUST CHECKING. THEY HAVE. JUST JOKING.
I'M CHANGING DIAPERS AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING. JUST CHECKING.
BUT YES, SHE IS. SHE IS DOING THAT ON MY BEHALF.
YEAH. JUST WANTED TO I GOT ANY WORD FROM SPRINGVILLE? WE HAVE A MOBILE LOCATION THERE TOO, GRAND ISLAND.
SO I LIKE TO VISIT ALL THOSE LOCATIONS REGULARLY, INCLUDING THE SIX BRICK AND MORTAR LOCATIONS.
AND THERE'S ANYTHING FROM FACILITY ISSUES, LITERAL SEWAGE COMING TO THE FLOOR TO BEING BLUNT.
I'VE RESPONDED TO THE THANKSGIVING VISIT OUR OFFICE DUE TO A WATER LEAK ISSUE.
I MEAN, THERE ARE MULTIPLE TIMES I COULD GO ON AND TELL YOU ABOUT, BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE JOB.
I CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE. I CAN BE WHERE NEEDED WHEN I NEED IT.
DO YOU HAVE A RULE THAT YOU'RE JUST NOT CUTTING IT OFF? I FORGOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET HIM OUT THAT DAY.
DO YOU HAVE A RULE AGAINST A PERSONAL USE OF THE VEHICLE? YEAH, WE. WE. MADONNA AND I DISCUSSED THIS IS A SEVEN DAY A WEEK JOB THAT SHE'S IN.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES SHE COMES HERE ON SUNDAYS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE I. S IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH SOOY.
IF THEY'RE SHUTTING DOWN COMPUTERS. I MADE IT VERY CLEAR WHEN MADONNA WAS APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION OR ANYONE, THAT THESE THESE VEHICLES ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR PERSONAL USE.
AND WHY DID YOU THINK THAT WAS IMPORTANT? SHE'S TOO BUSY TO BE PERSONAL.
I JUST THINK IT'S. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOT ALLOW YOUR.
AT LEAST FROM OUR OFFICE'S STANDPOINT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE A FRONT FACING OFFICE.
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WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE THE TAXPAYERS.SO FOR US, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN JUST ASSUMED.
BUT MADONNA IS AN EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT EMPLOYEE.
AND WE GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COMPLIMENTS.
AND REMEMBER, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A SOFTWARE CONVERSION RIGHT NOW WITH NEW YORK STATE.
SO IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE IN MANY INSTANCES FOR MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THEY GO INTO A SITUATION THAT THEY'RE PREPARED.
OKAY. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CLERK? OKAY. SO THAT YOU CAN LEAVE OR STAY. AND THEN I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE OTHER MEMBERS OF EITHER OF THESE TWO STAFFS THAT ARE HERE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AND MR. CHAIR, MADAM CHAIR JUST THANK YOU BOTH.
LIKE I SAID WHEN I SENT OUT THE EMAIL ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE AND I GAVE THEM BOTH THE DEADLINE, YOU WERE VERY RESPONSIVE. YOUR STAFF WAS VERY RESPONSIVE PHONE CALLS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT WHATEVER WE NEEDED AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE AVAILABLE.
I KNOW YOU BOTH ARE VERY BUSY, AND YOU MADE SURE YOU MADE TIME TO COME IN FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU.
THANKS. AND WITH THAT, BECAUSE WE'LL EXCUSE THESE WITNESSES.
AND THEN WITH THAT, WE WILL HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE OF US, OUR GROUP.
ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO ADJOURN. THANKS. AND MOTION MADE BY.
SECONDED BY TODARO. ALL IN FAVOR? THANK YOU. ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.