For Release: Tuesday October 14, 2008
Contact: Mario Catalano (845) 338 6245
CATALANO: HEIN HOME LEASES APPEAR TO VIOLATE LAW
Ulster County Republican Chairman, Dr. Mario Catalano today said that full disclosure was needed of how much in rents County Administrator Hein has taken from Ulster County over the past five years through the County Department of Social Services.
County records show Hein owns multiple properties and also rents apartments through the Ulster County Department of Social Services. Hein has also filed a statement with Ulster County admitting he has Department of Social Services Contracts. The information supplied by Hein however, was void of any particulars of the contracts. State law PROHIBITS County officials from contracting with County Departments when that official negotiates, approves, audits, or has the authority to negotiate, approve or audit payments under such contracts. “You can’t take public money while the people you supervise are approving payment to you. There is a clear conflict of interest and I believe it is illegal,” Dr. Catalano said.
Section 801 of the General Municipal Law expressly prohibits contracts between municipal employees and any municipal agency when that employee has the power to audit bills or claims under the contract or negotiate those contracts, or appoint those who do.
“Today we demand full disclosure to determine if any prosecutorial action is warranted. We should not have high ranking government employees taking anything from our County but their salary. Real ethics and a real ethics law are needed. Immediate and full disclosure is needed – how were these properties acquired, at what price, and how much are they being rented for. The public deserves answers,” Catalano said.
Ulster County Legislators have been debating a revised County ethics law for months. “It is no wonder that Mike Hein was completely silent on the proposed County ethics law while it was being considered. The fact that this entire moral and legal fiasco is occurring while Mr. Hein is County Administrator should open the eyes of all voters to what they can expect if he were elected County Executive. Business as usual. Fortunately, voters are being given a clear choice of new independent leadership, or more of the failed problems of the past. Mr. Hein’s insider deals need to be examined, shut down, and if necessary, referred to the appropriate disciplinary body,” Catalano said.
Catalano also charged that Hein’s contracts with the Department of Social Services “raise serious questions about who is in charge of whom.” Catalano noted that the Ulster County Department of Social Services has failed to file required annual reports. “Would those reports show the contracts to Mike Hein? We don’t know. The reports for one of the County’s biggest agency aren’t done. This seriously calls into question Hein’s supposed oversight and reform of County Government,” Catalano said.
Catalano also noted the massive amounts of new hires this year at the County Department of Social Services. “Ulster County has put about 250 new people on the County payroll – 100 of them were in the Department of Social Services this year, the same agency Mr. Hein has private contracts with. Social Services is our biggest expense and the head of the County is making money as a result of private contracts with that agency, all while their payroll explodes and required reports are not filed by the head of that agency. Taxpayers deserve to know how their hard earned money is being spent. Show us the contracts, show us the money, and give us the full story for each year you’ve been on the County payroll, not the three words you put in your ethics disclosure form,” Catalano said, referring to Hein.
For additional information, contact Chairman Catalano at 845 464 0011, or 845 338 6245.
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Posts
22 comments:
I don't know what's scarier, Count Catalano or this post...
No one has to try to make Mike Hein look bad. The situation that he is in looks bad. The only thing that a County Administor should be taking from the county is his Salary.
Having a side private contract with DSS when you are responsibile for that department is wrong. No wonder Rodriguez hasn't put out an annual report in 2 years.... He pays Hein's rents.... hmmmmmm... the ants from Rodriguez to Bernardo are starting to make sense now.
Hein and Rodriguez don't want their relationship to change.
I estimate that relationship to benefit Mike Hein by about $100,000 per year or more.
If as Me Hein suggests its federal money then what about the Hatch Act, or just another Federal crime. Say its not so MO
In the mid-1980's, a county legislator from Boiceville, who was in the wholesale food supply business, set a dummy corporation to supply food items to the jail.
An observant employee at the jail noticed the body of the company's delivery truck was painted over but still could make out the company's actual name. He was from the Boiceville area and deduced the delivery vehicle was from the legislator's company.
The ruse was uncovered, and then Chairman of the Legislature William West told this legislator to immediately resign or face criminal charges from District Attorney Mike Kavanaugh.
To: 5:13am
Those are pretty harsh words "bottom feeders. scum suckers".
The problem I have with those statements is that it shows that you must agree with Mike Hein. Is it okay that in addition to being the County Administrator you also serve as a Contract Agency for DSS?
Mike Hein, if you are truly the Leader you say you are, lead the way by debunking this mess and come clean. At the very least, we the voting public, deserve an explanation from your side. Your opponent chose the high road and revealed his side of the story with the IDA. Please do the same.
In the Times Herald Record today,
"Hein said there is no conflict of interest and nothing illegal. The money comes from the federal government and is administered by DSS. The department determines who gets rental support, he said, not him."
But isn't that the problem... that DSS decides and he would be in charge of DSS if elected County Excecuitve.
I do not think this would be an appropriate business venture for our elected County Exceutive to be in.
The problem is Mike Hein's now. It's almost impossible for him to get rid of these properties. That is something that he should of though about before he ran.
Why can't get tenants that pay on their own like most other landlords do?
I think it's because he's part of the inner system of Good Old Boys that needs to go. He knows how to work the system and boy oh boy has he been working it.
October 15, 2008 8:57 AM
Anonymous said...
In the Times Herald Record today,
"Hein said there is no conflict of interest and nothing illegal. The money comes from the federal government and is administered by DSS. The department determines who gets rental support, he said, not him."
1) The county administrator is an extension of the executive-legislative branch.
2)Hein entered into a contractual agreement with DSS to house indigents and he directly benefited from this arrangement. Was this opportunity made available to others outside of county government?
3) It is not relevant to the issue at hand that rent monies received was federally funded administrated by the DSS.
4) The District Attorney's Office should carefully review this matter to ascertain if a violation of GML Section 801 occurred.
Is it me or does this Fish bowl guy sound like Blaber. Still waiting for the Auerbach promo to appear on the website before I judge for sure.
I posted on another issue on your blog but it deserves repeating. Section 8 vouchers are giving to those that qualify by RUPCO, City of Kingston, SS. Individuals that receive those vouchers have the responsibility to go out and rent an apartment with the voucher given them. It does not usually cover the full rent. It's based on income. The agencies have nothing to do with finding an apartment for those on Section 8. Catalano know this. He has returned to the dirty tricks mentality when he ran his brother-in-laws campaign. Most people see through this mentality
Lew Kirchner signed the checks. I have seen the checks. I work in the Dept of Social Services.
Catalano knows one thing and one thing only. Dirty politics. . What kind of candidate allows this kind of campaign to be run?
when should a candidate use negative information about an opponent?
The rule of thumb for professional campaign consultants is: "Never, never use negative campaign tactics unless your have to." Clearly, a candidate that can run an impeccably positive campaign and win by a comfortable margin is much better off running a "clean" campaign than a negative one. However, there are many instances in which a candidate cannot win simply by presenting positive information about him or herself.
In every electoral contest, candidates try to secure the support of enough voters to win on election day. This process is a zero-sum game. A vote for one's opponent is one less vote a candidate will get on election day. A vote taken away from one's opponent is generally transferred to one's self. Winning voter support, then, can be accomplished by building strong support for one's self or by undercutting public support for one's opponent. When candidates struggle in their efforts to build positive images of themselves, many choose to close the gap by tarnishing the images of their opponents.
I agree, and Mike Hein and his people need to stop the dirty tricks...
Let's recap
The Ants
Bernardo gets two tax bills for Skate Time 209
Bernardo's business is left out of the tourism guide
Democrats say Bernardo got an IDA Bond and exempt from the mortgage recording tax - which is a lie.
Bernardo paid for his own business
Mike Hein accuses Bernardo of using the taxpayers as an ATM because he doesn't understand how the IDA works.
Mike Hein tries unsuccessfully to tie Bernardo to the LEWR because he is a member of the Independence Party
Yes, the dirty politics need to stop
Anonymous said...
I posted on another issue on your blog but it deserves repeating. Section 8 vouchers are giving to those that qualify by RUPCO, City of Kingston, SS. Individuals that receive those vouchers have the responsibility to go out and rent an apartment with the voucher given them. It does not usually cover the full rent. It's based on income. The agencies have nothing to do with finding an apartment for those on Section 8. Catalano know this. He has returned to the dirty tricks mentality when he ran his brother-in-laws campaign. Most people see through this mentality
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Rupco Section 8 vouchers for low income tenants are NOT the issue here! The issue is contracting with the Department of Social Services and receiving DSS home relief rent payments for indigent tenants while in a policy making county managerial position.
If DSS has contracted with Mr. Hein, this matter deserves further attention. To the best of my knowledge, DSS or Rupco will not co-sign a lease. I believe the legal relationship is between the social service recipient and the social service provider.
Is there a way to find out how many politicians own rental property in Ulster County? I'll bet there are plenty from both major political parties.
I saw this on Channel 6 News tonight.
It's a disgrace that our County Administrator would allow his wife Christine to take checks from the Ulster County Department of Social Services and that Lew Kirschner would sign them.
I guess that picture of Mike Hein and Lew Kirschner starring in the "Good Old Boys" was true.
No, it's a disgrace for him to abuse his managerial position in order to obtain a material benefit from the county other than to collect his salary. It's called conflict of interest under GML 801 and punishable as a misdemeanor.
The citizens of Ulster County need to demand that the Ulster County District Attorney's office look into this matter before the election.
i agrea with oct15,2008 5:13 am
People on the web should check their facts before posting slander and dirt. Could come back to hurt you.
Mike Hein doesn't own the house in the pictures on your website. Check your facts and "smash the trash"!
If you would be so kind to let us know which house does not belong to Mike Hein, we would be happy to remove that particular photograph.
11:53, if you can be specific as to what part of this post you find to be objectionable, we would be happy to remove it.
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