The Erie County State of the County Address was packed with people Thursday and many which were county employees. Some may be getting paid to be there. WB49 has exclusively obtained a memo stating the County Executive is looking for volunteers to act as ushers at the address. It further states they could remain on the clock and be paid at the event. Warren Galloway/Executive Assistant to the County Executive-" We don't know anything about a memo that basically tells these HEAP workers that if they usher they'll be paid. We don't know where that came from. It never came from the County Executive's Office."

The memo came from senior services. A member of the Administration told us it was a fake. However, when we approached some ushers at the speech to ask what department they work in, we were told HEAP. HEAP stands for the Home Energy Assistance Program. It is a federally funded department in Erie County. We asked the county's comptroller what he thought.

Reporter-" It said that they would be asked to volunteer but at the same time be paid. Those are federal dollars paying those salaries. Is that a misappropriation of funds? Mark Poloncarz/Erie County Comptroller-" Well first of all County workers shouldn't be working here accept for some of Mr. Giambra's executive managerial positions. If it's average County laborers they should not be working an event which is really being put on by the Rotary Club in Buffalo. Were gonna have to look into it but if county workers are hear on a voluntary basis but getting paid thats not right."

Even the program for the State of the County Address thanks the HEAP department for providing ushers.