BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A letter recently sent by Buffalo City Comptroller Barbara Miller-Williams to Mayor Byron Brown shows her current investigation into city employees on suspended pay.
In July, 12 employees were suspended with pay. By Thursday, that number had dropped to seven. All seven of those suspended employees are with the Buffalo Police Department. 7 News' Kristen Mirand asked the Mayor about this on Thursday.
"We're thankful for her investigation of this matter," Brown said.
In order for the comptroller to continue her investigation, her office is requesting the Brown administration provide answers to several questions like:
- why these employees are suspended
- when their suspension will be resolved
- what procedures are now in place to make sure these employees are not suspended again
As the administration works on providing that info, Browm told Mirand he will soon be announcing new policies and procedures regarding employees on paid leave. These changes come after an employee from the Buffalo Fire Department spent nearly eight years on paid leave, making more than half a million dollars, all while earning a second paycheck from another job.
"Our goal is not going backward. Our goal is going forward and making sure that what happened in this will never happen again," Brown said.
Brown did confirm with Mirand that this employee is now back at work.
According to the city charter, the city was required to hold a hearing within one year of that employee being suspended with pay. If no hearing is held, the employee goes back to work.
"Was there a hearing for this employee in that nearly seven and a half years of being on paid leave," Mirand asked.
"From what we can find it doesn't appear the hearing ever went forward but again this was a very complicated personnel matter," Brown responded.
Fillmore District Council Member Mitch Nowakowski has been pushing for change after finding out about this situation.
"A lot of things slipped through the crack," he said.
He requested an audit of all city employees on paid leave. The comptroller opted for an investigation instead saying an audit would take too long.
Nowakowski admits there was some tension between him and Miller-Williams over this decision, but said as of now, he's pleased with the action she's taking.
"All of the questions that the committee has really talked about that they want the comptroller to ask and to obtain from the administration, the comptroller is doing," he said.
The comptroller is giving the mayor until October 11th to provide all of this information. Meantime Nowakowski said once the investigation wraps up this will be discussed in a Buffalo Common Council committee meeting.
