Sure, why not. I mean, when you reappoint the remaining two members behind increasing someone’s pay 47%, so they get a cushy retirement package, Over pay the board members hoping no one would notice, and then miss an opportunity to correct it. Why is it a surprise when another Monroe County Water Board Director conflict of interest story appears?

Articles in the the Rochester Business Journal and at the Democrat and Chronicle (Joe Spector) spotlight additional corruption of the Monroe County Water Authority.

Here are the leads from both articles…

Demcorat and Chronicle

The Monroe County Water Authority announced Friday it has recovered $144,316 in payments and legal fees after a state audit revealed it may have illegally and indirectly contracted with a company owned by former executive director John Stanwix — even as he remained on the water authority payroll.

The RBJ

The Monroe County Water Authority paid $30,000 for consultation services that might never have been provided, and may have violated state law by entering into a contract agreement that included a business owned by the authority’s former executive director, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said Friday.

Eventually the RBJ gets to the point:

The authority agrees with the findings and expects to recover $144,316 for issues related to the audit, the comptroller’s office said.

So, the long awaited audit appears, the Water Authority, under Stanwix, uses a Stanwix-owned company to divert money.

Again, from the Democrat and Chronicle:

Here’s a breakdown of the $144,316 in payments that have been returned to the Monroe County Water Authority, according to authority officials:

$75,000: Paid by former Executive Director John Stanwix because the authority’s legal counsel said Stanwix did not have the authority to offer a severance package to former executive Herb Grabb. (The authority later settled with Grabb for $75,000.)
$30,000: Reimbursement by Clark Patterson Associates for contracting fees in 2003 for Gokey Associates, owned by Stanwix.
23,230: Payment by Stanwix for salary received from water authority while he was also allegedly working for Clark Patterson.
$16,086: Legal fees paid by Stanwix that were incurred in reaching a settlement with Grabb.

Let’s review -

How does does one get on the Water Authority Board? They are appointed by the Monroe County Legislature. Who controls the Monroe County Legislature? - the Grand Old Party. What are they doing about it? A whole lot of nothing.