Politics & Government

Ex Emergency Management Chief Facing Investigation

State questioning East Northporter's ethics after he was fired from position in November, says Newsday.

State officials are once again questioning Former Emergency Management Chief Steve Kuhr, who was dismissed in November after accusations of unethical conduct surfaced in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

According to Newsday, Khur, of East Northport, is under investigation by the state inspector general over a $415,000 state contract granted to his wife's firm, the Strategic Emergency Group LLC.

Kuhr and his wife did business together as emergency planning and preparedness consultants under the firm's name before Kuhr was hired as Governor Cuomo's Chief of Emergency Management in 2011.

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As a condition of hire, Kuhr was supposed to relinquish his involvement with Strategic Emergency Group. State officials are now questioning whether Kuhr properly notified anyone that his wife remained the company's primary owner.

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Strategic Emergency Group was granted a renewal for a $415,000 contract to consult with the Office For People with Developmental Disabilities soon after Kuhr was fired. Jennifer Freeman, spokesperson for the State Office of the Comptroller, told Newsday that the company had collected $111,612 for the first contract issuance as of November. 

The Governor's office terminated the contract renewal, which was supposed to extend through 2014, after it became aware of Kuhr's wife's primary ownership in the company, reports Newsday.

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