Carnright releases the grand jury report

KINGSTON – A former Ulster County official will be arraigned within the next few weeks on misdemeanor charges of official misconduct relating to the construction of the Ulster County Law Enforcement Center.

Ulster County District Attorney Holley Carnright announced Thursday that a special grand jury has charged Harvey Sleight, the county’s former commissioner of buildings and grounds, with official misconduct, a misdemeanor, for his role during the initial planning stages of the facility in 1999.

“Mr. Sleight is accused of manipulating the process that led to the hiring of Rosser International and Joseph Roble to serve as a consultant during the early stages of the project,” he said.

Carnright said Sleight is not being made a scapegoat by the grand jury’s investigation, which took many months, involved the testimony of over 40 witnesses and comprises about 4,500 pages of testimony.

Frank Dart, D-Kingston, minority leader in legislature in 1999, doesn’t see at that way.

“People had to show the blame someplace and I think Harvey was person that was picked as the scapegoat.”

During the construction process, Dart said there delays but he and others were assured everything would be taken care of.

“People were outright lied to,” he said.

Sleight - charged

Todd - no action

Gerentine - no action

Carnright said the grand jury was asked to consider charges of official misconduct against Ward Todd, former Ulster County legislature chairman, Richard Gerentine, former majority leader and legislature chairman, and Frank Murray, former county attorney, but chose not to.  The grand jury also voted to neither criticize nor exonerate Todd, Gerentine or Murray for their roles in the jail planning process.

The jail opened last year – three years later than expected and about $25 million over budget.

Carnright said there is no criminal evidence of any wrongdoing, such as kickbacks – only malfeasance and incompetence.

“If someone brings me some evidence,” said Carnright, “I will prosecute it.”

In a report released by Carnright, it notes that county officials “disregarded the procurement policy and rushed to use an unwise, informal approach, resulting in the selection of a preferred local architect, Crandell Associates (who subcontracted to Rosser) over a nationally-recognized expert.”