Randy J. Woodbury

Dunkirk’s Department of Public Works director says there was “no wrong doing” by any city official or workers regarding the 2019 removal of a tree from a plot of land that is now privately owned.

In a commentary piece published on Page A4 today, Randy J. Woodbury says he stands by his staff and again noted omissions from the report done for council members by attorney Dan Gard. “That the special counsel report did not disclose all of the deeds and easements and dates, with surveyed boundaries, remains a disappointing surprise, although the special counsel did explain he was a hired advocate for council against our mayor,” Woodbury writes.

Last weekend, Mayor Wilfred Rosas called out the council for releasing the report calling the legislative body “vindictive and mean-spirited.”

One week ago, Councilman At-Large Paul VanDenVouver released a report that alleges there was work done by DPW employees over three days in August on private property. Gard’s recommendation in the report of the “large, unjustifiable and unconstitutional gift of municipal resources to a private individual” was to refer this matter to the appropriate enforcement agencies, recommending both the state comptroller’s office as well as the FBI’s Public Corruption Division.

VanDenVouver said the probe was done in response to council allegedly receiving reports from city residents about the happenings on Aug. 5, 6 and 15, 2019, at 10 Finch St. in the city. VanDenVouver, during the meeting, said the work included 100 hours of manpower and four pieces of city equipment in the project that was estimated to cost taxpayers between $6,000 and $8,000.

“This work was done in accordance with the normal city public works department responsibilities and in accordance with the predetermined schedule and staff availability,” Rosas said in a statement over the weekend. “There was no impropriety!”