Erie County lawmakers have approved the selection of Mark Carney as a new commissioner for the Erie County Water Authority. All voted in favor but one lawmaker who wanted instead to put the process on hold.
Carney, an Amherst attorney and past supporter of the Democratic Party in Erie County, was considered the favorite among three candidates originally under consideration. One of those candidates, Rhonda Ricks, withdrew in advance of Thursday's vote.
Legislature Chairman Peter Savage spoke highly of the choice.
"He not only runs a successful business but he's got a strong demeanor," Savage said. "He's got a strong leadership skill that I think is grossly needed. And he's committed to going over there and trying to shake some things up."
But fellow Democrat Thomas Loughran, citing a need to examine what he described as a long-running culture of corruption and political patronage within the Erie County Water Authority, sought first to impose a 90-day moratorium. His efforts were rejected, first by a losing vote and then followed by an opinion stated by the Legislature Majority's legal counsel that the moratorium was unlawful.
Loughran insisted there was an agreement for the moratorium in place until just before Thursday's legislature meeting.
"They hung their hat on a legal opinion from the majority counsel which I thought was really weak," Loughran said. "It could be interpreted that there was some kind of legal maneuver that we couldn't vote on this moratorium today, and we could."
Loughran suggested Carney was the hand-picked candidate of the Democratic Committee leadership and so, too, was Savage as the Legislature Chairman. Peers within the legislature, during Thursday's meeting, suggested Loughran's words were political sour grapes, noting he was passed over for the chair.
Savage, meanwhile, insisted the Legislature is committed to reforming the Water Authority.
"We will continue to try to find reforms to make that place run better," he said. "Frankly, I think the appointment we put up today has got leadership background, management experience, he's been an attorney for 30 years. He's got the wherewithal to bring some of that change forward."
