GOSHEN – The Orange County Legislature, Thursday, voted to terminate all seven members of the county Industrial Development Agency Board and appoint seven new members.
The move came following a two-hour executive session.
Legislators have been frustrated for months over what they perceive to be a lack of communication with the IDA management and board when requesting financial information about spending practices.
Most recently, when lawmakers asked for that information, the IDA hired an independent auditor to conduct an audit.
District Attorney David Hoovler announced a grand jury investigation into the financial practices of the IDA at which point, the IDA hired a special attorney.
County Legislator James O’Donnell has led the effort to scrutinize the IDA’s books. He has asked the agency to look at its checkbook with no satisfactory response.
The appointment of seven new board members does not mean any of the old members have done anything wrong, and Legislator Paul Ruszkiewicz said it is possible that some of the old members could be reappointed next year.
