Sandy auditor let go right after he criticized New York State’s wild spending

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1/17/13,  “Sandy auditor let go after criticizing state,” Albany Times-Union, James M. Odato
“Consultant hired to examine Sandy spending says his report led to dismissal”

“He said many pieces of equipment were nearly impossible to track once put into the field, including millions of dollars in light towers, pumps, generators and provisions. As a result, the state was unsure what it owned, leased or lost during the immediate response to the late October hurricane, Sadowski said.

Sadowski, a 63-year-old licensed certified public accountant since 1983 who retired after 32 years with the federal government, said he was escorted from the New York Office of Emergency Management shortly after he filed a report on Nov. 17 that was critical of some practices. He said he thought his assignment would last longer.

Sadowski, a Colorado resident, was taken to the Office of Emergency Management’s bunker beneath State Police headquarters to help secure supplies and equipment because of his extensive emergency procurement management experience with the federal government. He also worked as an auditor at the U.S. Department of Interior‘s Inspector General‘s office for 10 years; he has trained the U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Fire Service, National Interagency Fire Center, Colorado Wildfire Academy and other government entities on incident management.

After being led out of the command center, Sadowski sent his report to the Office of the State Comptroller and to the Inspector General’s Office. He also provided the document to the Times Union. He provided an email confirming that the comptroller’s office had received his “complaint.”

“I didn’t believe I did anything to be escorted off the premises,” he said in an interview from his home near Denver. “I wasn’t trying to get back at anybody or get anybody in trouble.” He said he was trying to point out what was wrong with the procurement practices and how they should be improved: “I was relieved of my duties because I identified these problems.”"…via Free Republic


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