Urban League sues over critical audit

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The Buffalo Urban League, disgruntled after a critical audit by the Erie County Comptroller, is pressing ahead with legal action against the county. The agency filed an Article 78 petition Friday in State Supreme Court. A court date is set for May 10.

Urban League President Brenda McDuffie said the comptroller’s report was “filled with factual and procedural errors” and that had harmed the agency’s reputation. The Urban League is not seeking monetary damages but wants the report to be withdrawn.

Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw said he stands by the work of his auditors. He said the Urban League was wasting money on legal costs that would be better spent helping the vulnerable children and families the agency serves, calling their decision to sue “unfortunate and truly sad.”

More than a year ago, eight Urban League social workers wrote to the comptroller, saying their employer had falsified bills on its million-dollar county contract, as originally reported by Investigative Post. An investigation by the comptroller’s office bore out their claims, finding that Urban League had, in one case, submitted bills claiming that one employee had worked 180 hours in a single day.