Politics on the Hudson

   New York Inspector General Joseph Fisch is recommending that disciplinary action be taken against three supervisors in connection with the “man cave” in one of the state parking garages in Albany. Poor oversight by Office of General Services managers Thomas Casey, William Liston and Dennis Williams contributed to drug abuse and other “transgressions” at the Empire State Plaza garages, according to Fisch.

   Earlier this month, Gary A. Pivoda, 48, of Glennon Road in Latham (an Albany suburb) and Louis Marciano, 50, of Willow Street in Rensselaer pleaded guilty to defrauding the government for allegedly selling and using drugs, watching television and sleeping in the concealed “man cave” between April 17 and July 14, 2009. They were night maintenance employees for the state.

   Fisch’s report today said the three managers did not address repeated complaints about Marciano, who was the cleaning crew boss. Marciano was accused of discriminating against African-American employees and addressing them with racial slurs. Marciano was said to have assigned one janitor extra work to cover for Pivoda, and he gave Pivoda annual “incentive” bonuses totaling $3,000, according to Fisch.

   Pivoda and Marciano, who resigned as part of their plea agreeents, are scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 4. Pivoda will serve a year in jail and pay $2,076 in restitution. Marciano will receive five years of probation, do 250 hours of community service and pay $1,504 in restitution.

   The Office of General Services has agreed to implement Fisch’s recommendations and take administrative action against employees and supervisors who were derelict in their duties. The agency will require that Plaza managers receive more training, Fisch’s office said.

Man Cave Video from Gannett Albany Bureau on Vimeo.