Erie County’s Director of Weights and Measures, Edwin Gonsiorek, has been served with a subpoena by Chairman John Mills, making him legally obligated to testify before the Erie County Legislature’s Finance and Management Committee. Failure to appear would result in further legal action to compel his appearance.

“Today, I used my authority as Chairman of the Legislature to issue a subpoena for Mr. Gonsiorek’s testimony relevant to the Comptroller’s investigation of the Weights and Measures Division. The findings of the investigation included evidence of wrongdoing by the division, including the inappropriate issuance of fines on local businesses,” said Chairman Mills. “These are serious offenses. We don’t know at this point how long the Weights and Measures Division was harming local businesses or to what extent. In addition, he used county property for personal use, instructing his employees to work on his personal vehicle during work time. Mr. Gonsiorek is legally required to respond, and I urge him to cooperate to resolve this matter.”

According to the Erie County Charter, the Chairman of the Legislature has the authority to issue the subpoena in order to: "make such studies and investigations as it deems to be in the best interest of the county, and in connection therewith to obtain professional and technical advice, appoint temporary advisory boards of citizens, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require the productions of books, papers, and other evidence deemed necessary or material to the study or inquiry."

The subpoena was hand delivered by an assistant clerk of the Legislature on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014 to Mr. Gonsiorek’s county office. The subpoena requires him to appear at the Finance and Management Committee at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, in the Legislative Chambers, 92 Franklin St., Fourth Floor, Buffalo.

Mr. Gonsiorek was provided several opportunities to appear before the Legislature to answer questions about the investigation and his conduct, and has failed to do so. As a result, the Chairman of the Legislature used his authority to subpoena due to the high importance of the issue. 

Chaired by Legislator Joseph Lorigo, the Committee is prepared to question Mr. Gonsiorek on the findings of the investigation, which includes:

• Inspectors fining stores based on field inspections never conducted by the department
• Falsely reporting phony results of these inspections to New York State
• Mr. Gonsiorek used of the Division of Weights and Measures garage to store his privately owned vehicle
• Mr. Gonsiorek directed county employees to work on his personal vehicle during government work hours

For additional information, please contact Communications Director Jessica O’Neil at 858-8808.