There should be an outside investigation as to how this could be going on for so long and no one at DSIC knew anything about it. 90 tree grates were ripped from the ground and no one noticed anything? Talk about looking the other way. Someone has to be fired.
One was allowed to resigned after the story aired on CBS-6. Is the DSIC "leader" still going to say with a straight face what a hard worker he was? Every Downtown merchant who pays the higher DSIC tax is fuming about this total incompetence. More City residents who are also paying for this useless group should also be up in arms.
Hey, how do you expect them to notice when grates are missing when they don't even acknowledge or notice how bad the Parker Inn deal was?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
SCHENECTADY Workers in DSIC uniforms allegedly were stealing BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Steven Cook at 395-3122 or scook@dailygazette.net.
Two former Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp. employees accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars in metal tree grates from downtown Schenectady are believed to have taken them under cover of their uniforms, a prosecutor said Friday. They also are believed to have used the corporation’s Bobcat forklift, which they had access to, to move the heavy grates, prosecutor William Sanderson said. “It would look like they were doing routine maintenance,” Sanderson said. “They were in their offi cial uniforms, using the offi cial Bobcat from the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation.” At least some of the thefts came during regular work hours, particularly on weekends, Sanderson said. The two suspects, Charles Williams, 34, of 1111 Union St., and Warren Ashburn, 30, of 109 Irving St., were indicted Friday on one count each of second-degree grand larceny and second-degree criminal possession of stolen property. Authorities have estimated the total value of the cast-iron tree grates taken at more than $70,000. The two are accused of taking the grates and selling them for scrap at a fraction of their worth. Both are former employees of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation, offi cials have said. Ashburn left the corporation Oct. 1, after about a year of employment, officials said. Williams worked with the corporation until last month, leaving soon after the thefts were discovered. Prosecutors put the time frame of the thefts at between Sept. 1 and March 19. ..................>>>>.......................>>>>......................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01201&AppName=1
The Gazetto finally weighs in. Has the DSIC "leader" resigned yet? How do you fail to notice this activity for more than 6 months?
Nobody knew from nuthin. Nobody saw nuthin. Just "hard workers" {actual quote} who worked weekends to keep up. Another only in Downtown Schenectady. The fact that no one higher up at DSIC has been fired yet is unbelievable. Thank God for CBS-6 and their viewers or this would still be going on.
Those two DSIC workers had to work weekends because they were a couple of weeks behind on their schedule of stealing grates.
Where is the acting Mayor on this? Where is the City Council? Have any DSIC supervisors been fired yet? Where's the Gazetto editorial demanding answers? That this could go on for 6 months and no one at DSIC knew about anything is unbelievable. They used official DSIC vehicles but no one saw anything.
This goes beyond the usual looking the other way. Either there was no supervision or complete official incompetence. The investigation into how this happened for over 6 months must be expanded. This whole story reeks of featherbedding, public corruption and official incompetence. A great time to audit the DSIC and see where taxpayer funds and merchant fees are really going. Call in the FBI and State Comptroller's Fraud Unit.
Two get prison for stealing, selling city-owned tree grates Former DSIC workers to each repay $24,000 Thursday, September 8, 2011 By Steven Cook (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — One of the two men who admitted to participating in a scheme to take tens of thousands of dollars worth of metal tree grates from downtown Schenectady asked a judge for consideration in delaying restitution payments.
It was a request that Schenectady County Court Judge Karen Drago quickly denied.
“I can’t believe you would ask to defer these monies when, No. 1, you were intrusted by the city of Schenectady to do a job and you breached that trust,” Drago responded. “And now you don’t want to pay them back.”
A judgment totaling $24,000 was ordered as part of Warren Ashburn’s plea deal. Ashburn, 30, formerly of 109 Irving St., and Charles Williams, 34, formerly of 1111 Union St., were each sentenced Wednesday to 11⁄2 to 3 years in state prison.
They admitted to taking part in a brazen plan to steal large metal tree grates and other fixtures off city streets and sell them for scrap.
They each pleaded guilty earlier to fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property. Ashburn also pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny.
The two men are both former employees of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp. In all, they were accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars in the grates, taking them under cover of their uniforms.
They were also believed to have used the corporation’s Bobcat forklift, which they had access to, to move the heavy grates, prosecutor have said. By using the forklift, the two appeared to be doing routine maintenance when in reality they were committing theft, prosecutors have said.
Some of the thefts came during work hours, while others came on weekends.
In her comments to both Ashburn and Williams, Drago indicated she shouldn’t have to be making such comments to individuals in their 30s.
“I don’t think the court has to tell you that you can’t steal,” Drago told Williams.
As part of their sentence, the two agreed to be responsible for a total of $24,000 in restitution................................................>>>>.............................................>>>>...............................................................http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2011/sep/08/0908_prison/
Kind of reminds you of the three monkeys doesn't it, know nothing, see nothing and hear nothing.
The City recycling program is really working! Keep running those OSM promos 24X7-City employees are watching. This is vital part of the Downtown implosion. No retail but we gots pit bulls! Keep the progress going.
Why would the Judge deny these two knuckle heads the opportunity to defer paying?
I mean the City is not paying the schools the taxes they owe them and they're going to the County for money? Maybe these in-grates can ask for some overtime. They seem very resourceful at finding clever ways to get money.
Bravo to CBS-6 and Liz Bishop for breaking this story. Everyone is laughing at McCarthy and the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation who failed to notice huge tree grates disappearing by the dozens under their noses. Another example of the great supervision and taxpayer accountability Downtown. The DSIC director is still employed? Another only in Schenectady. He should be given a raise and Patroon/Chamber awards.
There should be an outside investigation as to how this could be going on for so long and no one at DSIC knew anything about it. 90 tree grates were ripped from the ground and no one noticed anything? Talk about looking the other way. Someone has to be fired.
Logged
Where is the acting Mayor on this? Where is the City Council? Have any DSIC supervisors been fired yet? Where's the Gazetto editorial demanding answers? That this could go on for 6 months and no one at DSIC knew about anything is unbelievable. They used official DSIC vehicles but no one saw anything.
