It’s become a little clearer how the highway superintendent in Cayuga County who was accused of official misconduct spent taxpayer funds.
The Auburn Citizen reports that Owasco Town Supervisor Ed Wagner made contradictory statements as the public learned of the mismanagement of the funds.
The report, obtained by The Citizen in publicly available court records on the case, alleges that in spring 2017 Bruno utilized Town of Owasco funds to purchase more than $1,000 in parts for a personally owned Caterpillar Excavator. At that point, Robert Bruno, the highway superintendent who was charged earlier in the month, directed a town employee to install the parts.
To complicate matters, the arrest took place less than a month after Bruno won re-election this fall. He was first elected to the post in 2012.
For Supervisor Wagner’s role in the ordeal – he issued a prepared statement to the Auburn Citizen after the arrest. He called the charge unwarranted and that it was connected to a back hoe window, which he said needed repair. He further alleged that the equipment was part of a loan agreement between Bruno and the Town. That statement noted that an agreement had been signed between the two parties in June, according to The Citizen’s reporting. However, the alleged misconduct, where the Caterpillar was involved occurred years before.
Check out more of the allegations and questions raised over at AuburnPub.com
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