Appointees are tasked with providing guidance and oversight to the Erie County Sheriff’s Office’s Jail Management Division

Erie County, NY- At today’s legislative session, the Erie County Legislature confirmed the eleven (11) appointees to the newly formed Erie County Corrections Specialist Advisory Board (ECCSAB). The advisory board will meet regularly to discuss issues relating to jail management and the treatment of detainees in the Erie County Holding Center and the County Correctional Facility in Alden.

The ECCSAB is comprised of appointees from the Sheriff’s Office, the Office of the County Executive, and also several from the Legislature itself. Multiple community groups are included with their recommendations, including the Western New York Peace Center, the Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Prisoners are People Too, and the Erie County Bar Association.

The appointees, who each receive a three year term, are:

Appointee                                                               Appointed By

Kenneth Colon                                                       Chairwoman April N.M. Baskin

Ann M. Venuto, RN, MS, PMHNP                          Majority Leader John Bruso

Cindi McEachon                                                     Minority Leader Joseph Lorigo

Corey McCarthy                                                     Sheriff Timothy B. Howard

Jonathan Miles Gresham, Esq.                             County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz

Ysaias Feliz                                                             County Commissioner of Probation

Michael Ranney                                                     County Commissioner of Mental Health

Keisha A. Williams, Esq.                                        Erie County Bar Association

Kevin Stadelmaier, Esq.                                        Legal Aid Bureau

George BaBa Eng                                                   Prisoners are People Too

Heron Simmonds                                                   Western New York Peace Center

Chairwoman April Baskin, who first introduced this local law in February 2018, said, “I am humbled and honored by the support we have received from the community during this process. The ECCSAB brings together a group of highly qualified individuals to ensure transparency and justice for those who find themselves incarcerated in Erie County’s jail facilities. We have listened to the constituents in our communities throughout the evolution of this board. I want to assure everyone who spoke so passionately about what they have seen and endured under Sheriff Howard that they have made an impact. I am confident this group will develop meaningful solutions and policies while also providing the scrutiny we need to stop the mistreatment of the people in the Sheriff’s custody. It is my hope that the ECCSAB will help mark the point where our jail facilities begin to move away from punishment and towards rehabilitation.”

Legislator Howard Johnson, a co-sponsor of the local law and the Chair of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee, reiterated, “The conditions of our county jails are one of the prime concerns I hear from my constituents.  They deserve to see their loved ones return safely from our facilities, and I am confident that this advisory board will help to ensure all are treated fairly and humanely while in custody.”

Meetings of the Corrections Specialist Advisory Board will be public and a schedule will be posted on the Legislature website when the board commences meetings. For more information on all public meetings of the Legislature, visit www.erie.gov/legislature.

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