February 26, 2009

The Erie County Executive says a 90-thousand dollar county service contract was awarded to the low bidder fair and square, and it did not first need the approval of the Erie County Legislature.

Volland Electric, a company which Chris Collins says he no longer has any involvement in, but is a minority shareholder, was awarded the contract. But Collins says it was a sealed bid, so there is no impropriety. "In this case everything was done in accordance with the law."

The Erie County Control Board, while reviewing the contract, raised the question as to whether the legislature first had a chance to review it. They did not. "But when you look at this, these contracts have never gone to the legislature. The one signed with that other company three years ago did not go to the legislature," said Collins, adding that the Control Board has 12 very similar contracts from the sewer authority in front of them today that didn't go to the legislature.

"That may be true but it may not be right," said Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz of a similar contract signed three years ago that did not go before the legislature. "What I'm saying is, that may be the facts, it may not have gone to the legislature. maybe it should've gone to the legislature."

Poloncarz acknowledges that Collins may not have even known about the bid or awarding of the contract to Volland. He also said Volland may very well be the low bidder and should get the contract. But, he believes the contract likely first needed legislature approval. He says his investigators are conducting an investigation and hopes to wrap up sometime next week.

Collins would like to see the review wrap up sooner. he says the integrity of county workers in the purchasing department is unfairly being called into question. He calls this nothing more than a political attack, and says legislators are raising the issue and trying to create authority which doesn't exist in state or local law.

"Whenever a conflict of interest pops up, red flags pop up and people wonder what's going on," said Poloncarz in response.