THREE.nrg From left, state Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, Sen. George Borrello and U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy in Dunkirk on Friday.

State Sen. George Borrello and U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy continued advocating for a city of Dunkirk control board Friday.

Borrello and Langworthy joined State Assemblyman Andrew Molitor at the Conservation Club to advocate a natural gas repowering of the NRG energy plant. They took off-topic questions, and the OBSERVER asked their latest thoughts on Dunkirk’s financial situation.

Borrello reminded that “we have a piece of legislation that we’ve had since last year, the assemblyman and I, to create a financial control board — a third party group that will oversee the finances and be able to lift Dunkirk, I believe, out of this crisis.”

Dunkirk Mayor Kate Wdowiasz recently offered a counterproposal for a regional control board. “She never actually approached me on this, this was just a sound bite for her,” Borrello said. “The reality is, Dunkirk’s situation is unique. Even the Office of the State Comptroller… they’re beside themselves with frustration because they can’t even get a handle as to what the real financial situation is in the city.”

He added, “If any place anywhere in the world needs a control board, the city of Dunkirk does right now.”

Borrello said he was hopeful that the people of Dunkirk will speak up to demand a control board. The bottom line goal is to restore Dunkirk residents’ confidence in their government, he said.

Langworthy said he urged Wdowiasz to back the control board. He referred to the recent indictment of former City Treasurer Mark Woods for allegedly stealing $120,000 in city funds.

“A lot of things go back many years and now we’ve seen an unfortunate indictment and a breach of public trust,” Langworthy said. “Dunkirk needs some adult supervision here, and we need some professionals to come in and analyze what’s happened, pave a way going forward.”

Taxpayers suffer the consequences of Dunkirk’s bad financial management, he continued. “Some of this probably could have been predictable the day they shut (NRG) down, that this was coming down the tracks.”

Langworthy concluded that Dunkirk is not going to get out of its tough situation “without some tough decision making. A control board did that for the city of Buffalo, when it was in deep, deep,crisis. I think it would really be a smart decision to put the politics aside for some people, and embrace what’s needed for the taxpayers here.”

“I agree. I couldn’t say it better myself,” Molitor said as his only comment.