Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw continue to spar over the safety of workers heading back to work in county offices and buildings.

"I categorically reject what the comptroller is saying," Poloncarz says during his COVID-19 press briefing Wednesday.

"I'm getting a lot of emails from county employees that once they get in the office, no one is wearing a mask, everyone is touching common equipment, and there is definitely no one taking temperatures when people come in or come out," Mychajliw says. 

Earlier this week, the comptroller issued a report to the county legislature about concerns with the county's return-to-work policy. Mychajliw claims the Rath building was not designed for proper social distancing and could leave county workers at risk for getting COVID-19. Poloncarz responded Wednesday.

"We've taken so many precautions and measures including to the point of buying special sprayers to spray every doorknob in this building every night," the county executive says. 

Poloncarz also took to Twitter saying if Mychajliw truly cared about employees' health, he would wear a mask in the Rath Building and he hasn't repeatedly.

The Poloncarz administration released security camera footage appearing to show Mychajliw getting into an elevator in the Rath building without a mask on last week, where he was met by Poloncarz.

"We've gotten reports that he was entering the building without a mask, getting in the elevators, walking on the 11th floor, walking around the comptroller's office without a mask, and if he's going to criticize me for not protecting our employees, we know the number one way you're not going to protect individuals is by not wearing a mask," Poloncarz adds.

Poloncarz says if anyone enters any county building, they have to wear a mask. If you don't, or refuse to wear one, you will be denied entry and suspended if you're an employee. Mychajliw says as long as he can safely social distance, he doesn't usually wear a mask but he does in public. He believes Poloncarz is trying to pick a fight with him.

"I think the county executive is trying to move away from the discussion of what he's not doing to protect our union employees and using this as a smoke screen and that's okay. I'll use it as an opportunity to talk about the fact that we should not be bringing back county employees to the Rath building," the comptroller says.

The exchange of words seem likely far from over.

"The evidence doesn't lie," Poloncarz says.

"I'll never back down from my responsibility of being the taxpayer watchdog and holding him accountable," Mychajliw states.