By Patrick Moussignac
November 20, 2011
BUFFALO, NY – Less than 2 weeks after winning in the November elections, Erie County Executive-elect Mark Poloncarz has completed the first of his many priorities.
Saturday, he formally introduced his Transition Team Chairman, and Executive Committee Members. The team is being led by local businessman and civic leader Michael Joseph.
One of the big issues they’ll be looking at moving forward is the budget. On Friday Poloncarz met with Legislators, proposing cuts to the budget to help restore some other positions and services.
2 On Your Side’s Aaron Saykin talked to Ken Vetter who runs the County Control Board asking him if there will be enough money to pay for these restorations for things like cut positions in the comptrollers office and culturals funding. Vetter told us that there should be money in the plan this year, but in years to come it’s something that will have to be looked at closely.
“I mean the 2012 budget is one thing, that’s one year. We’ve commented that we believe that budget is in balance. There is some leeway there but I think going forward the County Executive will have to put in a new financial plan in the first quarter of 2012 that will have to reflect those priorities,” said Vetter.
When asked about the numbers on Saturday, Poloncarz replied, “We’re looking at this as the Comptrollers office. We have the ability to go in and do a line by line analysis. Of just one example, in the budget alone they had over budgeted $600k for interest associated with our revenue anticipation not which we know exactly how much we’re going to be paying on an annual basis because I’m the one who negotiated the deal. We know what the annual interest costs are but they put in $600k dollars more than was necessary.”
Poloncarz told us that money comes from within the County Government and could be used for other services, but did not mention which ones.
The 14-member Transition Team includes:
Michael Joseph (Chairman) – President and Chairman of Clover Management, Inc.
Bernard Tolbert – Former Senior Vice – President for Security in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and retired Special Agent in Charge (Buffalo) for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additionally, Tolbert has served on the boards of numerous community organizations, including: the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, Medaille College, Cradle Beach Camp and Kids Escaping Drugs.
Cindy Abbott-Letro – Former host of AM Buffalo, media consultant and community volunteer. Abbott-Letro, a prominent leader in the cultural tourism sector, serves on the Board of Directors of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and is the former Chair of the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
Robert Fine – Founder and Chairman of the law firm Hurwitz & Fine, PC. Fine has maintained an active role in many organizations including serving on the Board of Directors of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, the Erie County Industrial Land Development Corporation and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
Toni Vazquez – Owner and operator of Urban Family Practice, a small business medical facility serving more than 11,000 patients annually in a poor, multi-cultural community on Buffalo’s lower westside. Additionally, Ms. Vazquez is a lifetime member of the National Black MBA Association, member of the Hispanic Women’s League and a current board member of the Amherst Senior Citizens Foundation and Sister’s Hospital Foundation Gala Fundraising Committee.
James Eagan – Executive Vice President and Partner of Midwood Financial Services, the largest privately held distributor of financial products and services via the bank and brokerage channels in the United States. Eagan is a member of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s Board of Commissioners and the Board of Directors of Erie County’s SPCA.
Lisa Ludwig – Actress, owner of production company Free Fall Productions and Managing Director of Shakespeare in the Park. Ludwig is a leader in the annual Curtain Up! theater celebration, Vice President of the Theatre District Association and past Secretary of the Theatre Alliance of Buffalo.
Frank Mesiah – President, Buffalo Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and retired Regional Administrator in the Division of Equal Opportunity Development for the New York State Department of Labor. Mesiah is a member of several organizations, including: the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, Legal Aid of Buffalo, Greater Buffalo YMCA and the Near East Side Health Task Force.
Brenda McDuffie – President and CEO of the Buffalo Urban League. McDuffie currently serves on several Boards, including: WNY Foundation, Buffalo State College, Greater Buffalo Savings Bank, Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau and is on the Trustee Council for Kaleida Health Systems.
Kenneth Peterson – Executive Vice President of WHO Government Solutions. In that role Peterson has specialized in the areas of education reform, alternative energy programs and affordable housing projects and has represented diverse clients like labor unions, employer associations, municipal housing authorities and others.
Patty Devinney – Field Coordinator for the Western New York Area Labor Federation. Devinney, a registered nurse, began her labor career more than 30 years ago by aiding in the unionization of the 800 nurses at the Buffalo General Hospital.
Alisa Lukasiewicz – Special Counsel for Phillips Lytle LLP and former Corporation Counsel for the City of Buffalo. Lukasiewicz has extensive experience in representing municipalities in all aspects of civil litigation, while concentrating her practice in the area of labor and employment law and education law. She also serves on the Board of managers for the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and Board of Directors for the Casimir Pulaski Association.
Jonathan Rivera – Vice President and Branch Manager of HSBC Bank and former aide to Congressman Brian Higgins.
Jennifer Parker – Founder and President of Black Capital Network, a small business consulting company providing strategic planning, public relations and graphic design services to support business advancement and development and owner of JacksonParker Communications, a public relations firm. Parker is currently a member of the board of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, creator of the Harlem Book Fair BUFFALO and the Buffalo Book Fair, and has served on the board of WNED-TV, the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
If you are interested in serving in the Poloncarz Administration you can submit your resume at www.Erie.gov.
http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/142489/13/Poloncarz-Announces-Transition-Team