How do you get one of your incompetent Grassroots friends a job? Create a citizens commission comprised of your political cronies. From today's investigative article from the Buffalo News' James Heaney...
But rather than ordinary citizens, the search committee appointed by Brown in 2008 was controlled by insiders.
The three-person panel included a senior member of his staff, Janet Penksa, his commissioner of administration and finance. It also included attorney Adam Perry, who has contributed $6,675 to Brown's campaign in the past five years and whose law firm, Hodgson Russ, has done $3 million in business with the city since Brown took office.
The third member was Jack Kennedy, a union official. The committee was assisted by Dana Bobinchek, an aide to Deputy Mayor Steve Casey.
Not a big deal? The city is already being led by incompetent city hall hacks (see Lou Petrucci). The end result was the hiring of Karla Thomas...
The committee's choice was Thomas, whose job performance has come under criticism in recent months. There are now calls for her resignation or dismissal after release of an audit that found the city has paid $2 million in health insurance premiums for 152 dead city employees.
Critics contend that Thomas has failed to show even minimal competence in a job structured by state law and the City Charter to promote both independence and experience.
What's the difference? In Byron Brown's administration, the dead employees probably get as much done as his current staff. I've always said, the citizens commissions are usually nothing more than a farce. They appoint known political sycophants and hangers-on. Brown knew when he appointed these bozos, they would do his bidding.
Brown skirted rules in hiring of Thomas - The Buffalo News
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