BATAVIA, N.Y. — The Western Regional Off Track Betting Corp. board of directors approved a management restructuring of the agency on Thursday, while also approving the hiring of two longtime confidants of Byron Brown, who now serves as OTB's President and Chief Executive Officer.
As a result, Michael DeGeorge, who long served as a spokesman for Brown when Brown was Mayor of Buffalo, and Steven Casey, who served as Deputy Mayor during Brown's first two terms as mayor, have been placed into newly created, high paying jobs.
DeGeorge will earn $130,000 annually as the new Director of Communications, and Casey will earn $190,000 as the new Chief of Administration and Chief of Staff.
Brown defended both hires as necessary to tackle the agenda and reforms he seeks to bring as the new leader at WROTB and insisted both men are highly qualified for the positions.
"They are excellent workers. I think they will do excellent jobs in the capacities that they've been hired for," said Brown, who is now making $295,000 as WROTB president and CEO.
Board member Timothy Callan of Erie County was the lone voice of dissent among board members.
"I don't think we need a new position of Director of Communications earning $130,000 a year," Callan said regarding DeGeorge's hiring. "We have an existing employee who performs that work, who along with his marketing tasks is also getting a pay upgrade in this resolution and a new title. Why he can't continue to handle those tasks and interacting with the media, I don't know."
Regarding Casey's hiring, Callan said, "The corporation has never had a Chief of Staff title. We currently have a Vice President of Administration who makes $173,000 per year, we currently have a Chief Operating Officer who makes $180,000 a year. Why we need a new Chief Administrative Officer on top of those management positions, I can't see."
Callan also noted that Casey's political consulting firm, of which Casey was sole proprietor, was convicted of wire fraud.
"I have a very severe problem with that. I don't think Steve Casey should have any job at this corporation," Callan said.
Brown said the creation of these new positions was recommended in a consultants report.
However, Callan raised questions about that because the consulting firm that made the recommendations was initially hired in a no-bid contract.
"Which I believe is a violation of state law," he said.