City staff in vehicle $lap

Two high-level employees and a former official of the city’s Department of Correction have agreed to pay fines and forfeit vacation days for using their official vehicles on personal errands and vacations, it was announced Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner Timothy Farrell lives in the city and used his city-issued vehicle for weekend trips to a family home in Connecticut on at least 14 occasions in 2016, according to the Conflicts of Interest Board. In a joint settlement with the board and the DOC, he paid a $2,250 fine and forfeited five vacation days, valued at $3,756. He also had to reimburse taxpayers for mileage, bringing his total penalties to $7,387.97.

Assistant Chief Clayton Augustus, who has since retired, made 11 personal trips outside of his normal commute, mostly to Monticello from his home in Orange County. He was hit with a $4,000 fine.

Warden Helena Smith used her official vehicle nine times for personal trips, including six trips to city airports and one to a doctor’s office. She reimbursed the DOC $87.80 for the mileage, gave up seven days of comp time and paid a $500 fine, bringing the value of her total penalties to $5,367.54.

A Department of Investigation report last year revealed flagrant misuse of city-issued cars, including by then-Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte.