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A 4th Resignation From The COMIDA Board

growmonroe.org

There’s been another resignation from the COMIDA board, in the wake of the controversy over the way the I-Square development in Irondequoit was handled.

Eugene Caccamise, has resigned, making him the 4th board member to resign from that economic development organization in recent days. There are now just 3 members left on that board.

Caccamise released a statement saying that as a registered Democrat he was appointed in 2008 to COMIDA by Maggie Brooks to represent the building trades, and he says in his eight years on the board it has served as a non-partisan agency set up for economic development.

Caccamise says it appears that now it has become a "political battle ground," and he said  that he wanted to make it clear that the COMIDA board had no knowledge of an incident involving I-Square until it was reported by the news media.

Caccamise says that “as stated by the other resignations, I hope that Cheryl Dinolfo will come forward with the “FACTS” and clarify the misunderstandings represented in the news media in hopes that the COMIDA agency will once again be able to serve the purpose for which it was set up to do.”

Caccamise chaired COMIDA’s ethics committee.

On Friday, Board Chairwoman Theresa Mazzullo resigned; Also last week, Clint Campbell and Mark Siewiec stepped down as well, citing similar reasons expressing concerns about the entire situation reflecting negatively and unfairly on their ethics.

Caccamise said in his statement that it appears "the focus of COMIDA has at least temporarily lost its purpose," and that's why he is stepping down.

Here's the complete statement that Eugene Caccamise released on Sunday:

"As a registered Democrat I was appointed in 2008 to COMIDA by Maggie Brooks to represent the Rochester Building Trades. In my 8 years sitting on the board it has served the purpose for which it was established, a NON-PARTISAN Government agency set up for the economic development of our Monroe County. It appears now that it has become a political battle ground. Let me be clear that the COMIDA board had no knowledge of the I Square incident until it was reported by the news media.

As stated by the other resignations I hope that Cheryl Dinolfo will come forward with the “FACTS” and clarify the misunderstandings represented in the news media in hopes that the COMIDA agency will once again be able to serve the purpose for which it was set up to do.

My years as the President of the Bricklayers Union was to continue to help employ and open new employment for my members serving on this board was also to do just that for our county always and solely for economic development which leads to jobs and business opportunities. It appears that the focus of COMIDA has at least temporarily lost its purpose so effective with this letter I submit my resignation to COMIDA and to the MCH advisory board.

Respectfully, Eugene H. Caccamise  --   May 22, 2016 "

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.