Maggie Brooks' 12-year term is winding down. She'll leave office for good next Thursday. In part two of his report on Brooks' tenure, Time Warner Cable News reporter Mike Hedeen looks at controversy and scandal within her administration.
Brooks accomplished many things in her 12 years as Monroe County executive, too many to list, but there were also some bumps in the road. Brooks said in hindsight, she may have made some different decisions.
The state comptroller's office has launched an investigation into the county's financial stability, calling Monroe the most fiscally stressed county in New York state. Brooks points to state mandates the county is required to cover as part of the problem. She says she has control of only 15 percent of the county budget. Brooks also says Monroe County is the most generous in the state when it comes to sharing sales tax revenue.
"We give away more than we keep. When you look at our fiscal challenges, some of those are self-imposed. We're generous with our sharing partners and our municipal partners, city of Rochester, but that has hurt us in some ways from a county perspective," said Brooks.
There was also controversy and scandal involving county employees that led to criminal charges. Some of them hitting close to home.
The Robutrad scandal involved trade workers accused of doing jobs for friends, family and party insiders while on the county clock. However, public officials were cleared of any wrong doing.
"We had employees that didn't have very good judgment and actually committed crimes. People forget that I'm the one that brought Robutrad to the public light. It wasn't like we were trying to say 'Oh-oh, we don't want anybody to know about this.' I was the one who stood up and said that we need to do a press conference and talk to the community about this. It quickly became scandal, scandal, scandal in Maggie Brooks' administration. I think the people who understand that, what really it was all about, know that I did my job as county executive at that point," said Brooks.
There was also the Local Development Corporation or LDC scandal in 2013. It accuses four men, including Brooks' husband, Bob Wiesner, of bid rigging in obtaining contracts for major technology projects. The state attorney general's office claims the job went to those with connections to county government. The case is still pending in court.
"The truth will be what it is. I know the truth, there's a process in place and I really won't go far beyond that. But again, there's the truth and there's what people want it to be and there's the political spin. At some point everybody's going to know the truth and that's all I want," said Brooks.
County Clerk Cheryl Dinolfo was elected in November to succeed Brooks. Brooks has some advice for the incoming county executive.
"I'll give her the same advice someone gave me. If you show up for work everyday thinking you're going to please everybody or try to please everybody you're going to fail because you can't. Number two, pick your battles because not everything can be a battle. And you have to remember you're only one person and can only control what you control. The third thing I would say is have a thick skin. I had a thick skin in broadcasting, I had to establish two or three more layers when I got into politics and government and when I took this job," said Brooks.
As for the future, Brooks wouldn't rule out a run for another political office. But right now, she plans to take some time off to spend with her family. She says she'd eventually like to get back into the workforce, whether it be the private or public sector.