County GOP Majority Mom on OTB Hotel Offer [Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.] – InsuranceNewsNet
July 30—Erie County Comptroller
Hardwick also questioned why the OTB continues to provide health insurance benefits to part-time board members, a practice the
Members of the Republican-led Niagara County Legislature seem uninterested in following Hardwick’s lead on questions about the operation of the OTB.
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
Instead, she released a statement through the county’s public information officer.
Regarding the hotel case, she indicated that the state comptroller’s office and
“I expect that if there is any reason to question this purchase, these agencies would be the appropriate authority to review it,” Wydysh said in reference to the hotel near Batavia Downs that OTB bought in
As first reported by the
In a letter dated
Hardwick’s letter identifies investors in ADK as:
According to Hardwick’s letter, an 84-room, 50,000-square-foot hotel opened on the land in late
Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in
The purchase price was
In his letter, Hardwick asked Wojtaszek why OTB would engage with an investment group that had never developed a hotel before. He also asked for detailed information on how OTB determined the sale price of the land, who initiated the deal and how much money OTB spent on the hotel rooms before and after he got it. became the owner.
In a separate letter, dated
The state attorney general and state comptroller’s office have issued opinions that OTB board members are not legally entitled to health insurance benefits. In addition, a private lawyer hired by OTB accepted these assessments.
In his letter, Hardwick asks Wojtaszek whether OTB intends to end health insurance benefits for current directors and whether directors will be eligible for benefits once they part ways with the company’s board. agency or will retire.
“No one on this board should receive this benefit,” Robins said. “For them to continue to receive it would be a borderline crime at this point.”
Robins also said that although the leaders of
“Counties are supposed to provide oversight for WROTB,” Robins said. “I’m glad to see
In his statement, Wydysh said OTB’s private counsel, noted
Robins said he believes WROTB’s activities should be business-only and non-political.
“It can be a source of income for
Established in 1973, OTB is a public benefit corporation that oversees the Batavia Downs harness racing track and casino, as well as local OTB branches and EZ Bet sites across
The agency has come under increased scrutiny in recent years,
State auditors reported to OTB officials that they had misused themselves to obtain tickets for
Wojtaszek and other OTB representatives have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
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