Help Being Accepted in Investigation

Earlier this month, the Columbia County Board of Supervisors asked the New York State Authorities Budget Office to review and investigate the lending practices of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation. Yesterday, Debby Mayer, reporting in the Columbia Paper, quoted ABO acting director Michael Farrar as saying, "Our standard practice is to do a quick, high-level review to try to determine how relevant and significant is the issue involved. We do this using information we have and with Internet research. . . . We make a quick determination to decide if we should act right away or in the future, and what our other priorities are at that time."

Today, word has been received that because of the agency's small size and limited resources, ABO is open to public participation in identifying conflicts and bad practices at CEDC. Anyone with such knowledge should contact Michael Farrar at info@abo.ny.gov or at State of New York Authorities Budget Office, P.O. Box 2176, Albany, NY 12220-0076.
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