A new audit released by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli today (Wednesday, June 18) said that Town of Colonie officials, in the previous administration, improperly disposed of soil at the West Albany Rod and Gun Club in the Spring of 2007, costing taxpayers about $48,000-a significantly higher cost than alternative options.
The audit, which repeatedly refers to the material dumped as spoils, a composite material of soil, tree bark and other debris, said that, `In early September 2007, it was reported in the media that the Town had dumped spoils at a site owned by a private non-profit club-the West Albany Rod and Gun Club-and used Town materials, equipment and personnel to perform grading and improvement work on the premises at no cost to the Club.`
Comptroller DiNapoli specifically notes that the former Town Attorney and a former Town Board member, both members of the Club, were involed in the contract with the Club.
`In summary, we concluded that Town officials did not handle the disposal of these spoils as economically as possible, or conduct the disposal in a transparent manner to provide accountability to taxpayers.`
For more on this story, check back at www.spotlightnews.com, or read the June 25 print edition of the Colonie Spotlight.“