Friday, May 30, 2008

OFFICER MOONLIGHTS ON DISABILITY


Does anyone out there think this is easy?
This is what we deal with when hiring employees for a municipality. It’s almost too much to bear.
Department heads try their best to weed out applicants who either can’t work as a team or be trusted on a job alone.


Here we have Brian Lyons of Saugerties, an UC Corrections Officer, who is out on disability moonlighting as a pizza delivery man.
That alone would be shameful and worthy of dismissal, but there’s more.

He managed to find the gas card of UC Public Works Commissioner David Sheeley who said he had misplaced his gasoline card. Now, what would you do?
(this is where the thinking comes in)

Computers track expenses from every card used for gas within the fleet. Did Brian think no-one would ever notice the spent $800? Astounding! It’s considered petty larceny.

Now, here is the ultimate kick. Lyons yearly salary is almost $50K. He is collecting 100% while out on disability. I don’t get it. I dont think he's starving! That’s more than the median income average for Ulster County, including mine.

Sheriff Van Blarcum is dealing with the courts now to fire him. Best of luck.
With the economic stress that plagues us all, It pains me to see this kind of abuse of the system.
Paul, you have your hands full.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is exactly what you get when you live in a county and city that deals with multiple generations of employment incest, nepotism, and just outright favoritism in it's hiring practices. Civil service and objective criteria are a joke here, even more than I witnessed in Texas and Louisiana, which are supposed to be the redneck Riviera.

They don't even try to hide it. "Yup, Billy Bob Joe Don Reese, he's my-cusin!!! un the best douffus for the job."...smitty

Anonymous said...

Mike, when you step up and become Mayor, will you have a better sense of who is worthy of employment? Its not easy to get a decent tenant, never mind employees. Younger generations want the world given to them without any effort. What happened to Pride?
Ever notice all the students that park in your neighborhood everyday have 1 and 2 year old cars? How old is yours? Got my point?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Lyons is no longer employed by the Sheriff's Office.

Mike Madsen said...

8:41 Thank you for the tip. I just had to rant about this and now I am somewhat relieved by the news.
Im sure we will all be watching the case in the courts.

Out tax dollars at work.

Anonymous said...

Mike- Another reason why we need additional investigation regarding fraud in Ulster County. Fraud is a 150 Billion industry in NY State. Yes that's billion with a B- so why would we not believe that Ulster County residents are not taking advantageous of their illegal share.
shelly z