Comptroller criticizes Clifton for conflict of interest

STAR LAKE — The state comptroller’s office has criticized the town of Clifton for failing to implement 2007 recommendations that it stop buying from a hardware store owned by Supervisor Robert L. Snider and to make sure town officials understand conflict-of-interest requirements.

“The town made purchases totaling $16,617 from January 2010 through September 2011 from Little River Sales and Service, a hardware and auto supply parts store owned by the supervisor,” the follow-up audit reported. “Although the supervisor disclosed his interest in this business at the 2010 and 2011 annual organizational meetings, these disclosures did not remedy the prohibited conflict of interest.”

Mr. Snider declined comment.

After the 2007 audit, Mr. Snider said the town would do less business with his store in the future but that he thought it ridiculous to go miles out of the way to buy small items.

An audit of the town’s 1992 finances also found Clifton had bought from Mr. Snider’s hardware store, making purchases of more than $5,000.

In the latest follow-up audit, the comptroller’s office found that the town failed to reissue its code of ethics and require all newly elected officials to attend training.

“Although the 2010 and 2011 organizational meeting minutes indicated that the board approved a code of ethics, the town clerk was unable to provide us with a recent copy. She could only find a copy of the town’s code of ethics dated Dec. 11, 1970, and a copy of St. Lawrence County’s code of ethics, which she believes the board had intended to modify and adopt as its own,” according to the audit report. “The supervisor confirmed that this was the board’s intention, but he also stated that the board had never adopted a new code.”