48°
RYE, N.Y. As investigations continue into allegations of misappropriations of funds and conflict of interest by the manager of the Rye Golf Club, the Rye City Council is creating contingency plans to ensure the club keeps operating.
These things take time, these things are very sensitive so were not going to be coming out here every meeting to give an update, Councilmember Richard Fillipi said. We dont want to jeopardize anybodys feelings one way or another.
The Rye City Council put Scott Yandrasevich, manager of the city-owned Rye Golf Club, on leave earlier this month after he was accused of misappropriating funds and having a conflict of interest with the staffing agency he used to service the club over the summer.
Yandrasevich allegedly used the tips members put on their credit accounts for dining expenses to go toward club expenses instead of giving them to the servers. In addition, he admitted having ties with the temporary staffing agency RM Staffing, which he hired as far back as 2007 to provide workers. Club members and the city questioned $2.2 million worth of payments to the company over the past two years, including large amounts of overtime.
Complete documentation of the Rye Golf Clubs dealings with RM Staffing have since been released through a Freedom of Information Act request. The full Rye Golf Club FOIL documents are available to read here.
During Wednesdays meeting, Mayor Doug French brought up the issue of interim management while Yandrasevich is on leave. City Manager Scott Pickup said the city is still working on issues and if the investigation has not been completed by the end of Yandrasevichs leave, alternatives for management will be discussed.
The council plans to take up the citys rules on conflict of interest and financial disclosure. It plans to have something to review and discuss, hold a public hearing, then vote on to go in effect by Jan. 1.
At a special meeting of the city council Oct. 16, the council authorized the transfer of $30,000 from the citys contingency account to cover the cost of legal services of the independent law firm Brune & Richard for the investigation.
Moving forward French said, The city manager and the commission still have a business to run, which led to a discussion about filling the vacancy left by Yandrasevich's suspension.
Councilman Joseph Sack proposed that the council vote to amend the Rye Golf Club nominations, elections and eligibility section to allow a vacancy to be filled when the commission falls below nine members. The commission indicated it wanted a ninth member. The council plans to take up the issue at its next meeting, Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Rye and receive free news updates.
