Jan 27, 2006 - Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz has released an audit of the Board of Elections, an audit that was requested during the fiscal crisis of 2005. The audit raises questions about staffing, as well as money for future elections.
Right now there are 42 full time employees at the Board, and the audit says 36 full time is a sufficient number, as long as there is part time help during elections. Poloncarz also said "job descriptions and classifications that do not match up to actual work responsibility and employees as well as no organizational chart to give people the opportunity to know what they are supposed to do and who they are supposed to report too". Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward disputes that, saying everyone knows who they have to report too.
Poloncarz says he is concerned about the board ability to run a special election in February. Its the election to fill Mayor Byrown Brown's former state senate seat. Board Officials estimate that will cost $200,000. They are must pay for new regulations that are part of the Help America Vote Act, which could cost 1.4 Million Dollars. Poloncarz says he thinks the special election could be paid through a contingency fund. Finance and Management Committee Chairman Demone Smith says he think money form the contingency fund will be used for that election.