Erie County official Kathy Konst will not be moving in to a county owned home in Wendt Beach Park after all according to Legislator Thomas Loughren.
Loughren says he was told by Parks Commissioner James Hornung that Konst will no longer move into the former superintendent's home in the park for which she was slated to pay $650 dollars on a month to month basis. That arrangement was supposed to start on November 1st.
The projected move raised eyebrows because of questions from lawmakers about how the renovated rental property was advertised and whether it was proper for Konst to live there. Konst makes nearly $100,000 a year as the county's Environment and Planning Commissioner.
Konst told 2 On Your Side that questions about the arrangement were absurd and that everything was above board. She said her husband learned about the rental listing in the Bee newspaper and she had heard about the home through word of mouth.
Loughran and other lawmakers visited the home earlier this week. There will be an information session next Wednesday at which time Hornung will be asked about this arrangement and his department's overall plan to rent out homes in the park.
Loughren says the office of Comptroller Mark Poloncarz is also conducting an audit of the rental program for homes in county parks. Three other parks department employees are living in some of the homes.
Hornung says the program was devised to help generate some income for the county and to provide a presence to deter vandalism and other crimes.
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