Closed-door meeting raises eyebrows
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

Farrand

BATH - A closed-door meeting between three Steuben County legislators has raised concerns one of the legislators tried to use his professional relationship with state Sen. George Winner to steer county equipment to a local service organization.

Leg. Dan Farrand, RCameron, met April 4 in the Legislature's committee room with Leg. Robert Nichols, RLindley, and Leg. John Walsh, R-Avoca, using the occasion to advise Nichols Winner had secured $100,000 in state funding for the county's Public Works Department.

Farrand, who works for Winner as a constituent liaison, then asked if the county could provide $300 worth of sidewalk material for local service project initiated by the Bath Rotary Club. The conversation occurred after Farrand had closed the door of the committee room.

"He more or less said George has this project he's working on and would like this material," Walsh told the Courier last week.

The Rotary Club project involves the construction of a sidewalk connecting Lakeview Apartments to the nearby Deals Plaza. To date, Winner's office has helped coordinate shared-service assistance from Southern Tier BOCES students trained in heavy equipment operation.

In contrast with the BOCES offer of student services, Farrand specifically asked if the county could donate construction material that would protect the concrete sidewalk from underground moisture.

"It was just presented wrong," said Walsh.

Leg. Ron Nielson, R-Bath, said Farrand's request was brought up before the Public Works Committee, which Nochols chairs, and voted down unanimously.

"We just couldn't do that," Nielson said. "There's no way. You give it to one service club, and all the other service clubs would be coming to you."

Contacted by The Courier, Farrand denied suggesting the $100,000 secured by Winner as a member item was contingent on the county's donation of the sidewalk material.

Reading from a prepared statement, Farrand told The Courier, "At no time, did I intentionally imply that a titfor tat involving a certain grant awarded to Steuben County was or is connected to this project."

Asked why he closed the door to meet with Walsh and Nichols, Farrand said, "Because there was a lot of noise out in the hallway. It wasn't intentional, and I apologize for that."

Farrand, who is not a member of the Rotary Club, also maintained he was trying only to support the Lakeview Apartments sidewalk program.

"My intentions were to protect our senior citizens and provide a secure and safe walkway (and) that the Bath Rotary Club and other civic organizations should continue to carry out this worthwile project. "

Walsh, who announced last week he would seek a second four-year term on the Legislature, continued his criticisms of his fellow Republican.

"If it happens again, if he closes the door, I've got to get up and leave," said Walsh. "I'm not hanging around. There are certain things you don't do."