Format Dynamics :: CleanPrint :: http://www.lohud.com/article/2011010... http://www.lohud.com/fdcp/?

1294591009488

on Wednesday that two Yonkers residents had been

Mount Vernon DPW arrested and four of the dogs recovered, but for a
supervisor suspended over week after the theft from the police-operated facility,
police officials would not confirm to the press that a
misconduct allegations theft had even occurred — despite days of inquiries.

Mount Vernon police were also unresponsive to

MOUNT VERNON — City officials have suspended a
public works supervisor for 30 days without pay as
they investigate his conduct.
Mayor Clinton Young declined to divulge details on
Thursday about what Ganga "Rudy" Persaud did to
merit a suspension. Young said the matter was a
personnel issue under investigation.
"He has to be given his due process," said Young.
Persaud did not respond to messages left on his cell
phone on Thursday and Friday.
repeated inquiries about the Dec. 17 arrest of
Falliere Joseph Mayard, who works for the city's
water board. Mayard was charged with fifth-degree
criminal possession of stolen property, a
misdemeanor, in connection with four steel plates
discovered in the city's public works yard.
The mayor said the three recent cases were "small"
incidents that do not represent the city's workforce.
"However, it doesn't mean we shouldn't tighten our
internal controls," Young said.

Last year a Democratic district leader, Samuel Rivers,

accused Persaud of misappropriating city property
and workers for landscaping work at Persaud's East
Lincoln Avenue home. On Wednesday Young said
that Rivers' accusations had been referred to Mount
Vernon Inspector General Harry Stokes and that
Stokes had not submitted a final report on that
matter.

Councilwoman Diane Munro-Morris was chair of the

City Council's committee overseeing public works
last year, but on Friday she said she was unaware of
the circumstances of Persaud's suspension. She said
the council wrote to Young last year regarding
Rivers' allegations, but never received a written
response from Young's office.
Advertisement
Persaud is represented by the CSEA union; on
Friday, a union spokeswoman, Jessica Ladlee, said
that the union is representing Persaud in the
suspension, but would not give details about the
case.

Persaud earned $100,231 in base pay and $34,553

in overtime in 2009, according to city records.

Persaud's suspension is the third case of alleged

municipal misconduct in the past month that city
officials have been unwilling to discuss or even
acknowledge.

On Wednesday police announced that they were

seeking a Mount Vernon Animal Shelter volunteer in
connection with the theft of seven dogs from the
shelter last week. Mount Vernon police confirmed

1 of 1 1/9/2011 11:36 AM