Brooks to terminate Robutrad contract

By City editorial staff on July 1, 2009

Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks will make a "major announcement" about the ongoing Robutrad scandal at 2 p.m. today at the County Office Building, says a press release.

Robutrad is the subject of a federal investigation, as well as an investigation by the county Sheriff's Office, for alleged corruption. Workers are accused of performing private work on county time and there have been a number of arrests. 

Robutrad provides professional labor services to the county.

UPDATE [2:30 p.m.]:

Brooks is terminating the county's contract with Robutrad effective August 1, she said at a press conference this afternoon.

"The Robutrad model is probably a broken one," Brooks said.

Brooks also said that her administration would be taking steps to ensure that there is "proper oversight and accountability" in all the county's business -- something she admited was lacking in the case of Robutrad.

A reporter asked Brooks why Democrats weren't involved in the press conference; Brooks admitted that the opposition party had not been invited to join. The reality is, she said, that the GOP is taking the heat for the Robutrad scandal -- and that she wanted to show the public that the GOP will stand up and fix the problem.

But while saying that the Robutrad scandal is a community issue and not political, Brooks was quick to point out that more Democrats than Republicans have been arrested in connection with Robutrad.

Robutrad workers are accused of doing private work for Republican officials on county time and charging the county for political work performed for Republican candidates, among other allegations.

County Democrats held their own press conference following Brooks' event. Minority Leader Harry Bronson said that killing the Robutrad contract is an "admission that there's a systemic problem."