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Her resume states she graduated early from Niagara Falls High School, took an associate's degree from NCCC, and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in social work and a master's in student personnel administration from Buffalo State.
Her police rap sheet shows at least two arrests, including a December, 1992 bust for criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a radio device, in what investigators described as a drug sweep aimed at curtailing the crack cocaine problem in the city.
And her extensive record with social service agencies in both Erie and Niagara counties shows she received public assistance for a decade beginning in 1991 and raises questions as to whether she was receiving benefits in both jurisdictions at the same time.
She's Teresa Holland, the recently appointed executive director of the Niagara County Youth Bureau.
Holland, 44, oversees the disbursement of federal, state and county funding to more than 20 youth programs throughout the county. She oversees a staff of between seven and 10 county employees and has offices in Niagara Falls and Lockport. A protege of county Legislator Renae Kimble, Holland took office in January, following an acrimonious party line vote in the legislature that is now the focus of a $1 million lawsuit against the county, Kimble, Holland and two other defendants by the former director of the youth bureau.
Former youth bureau head Regina Rosati was the director of the Liberty Partnership program, offered by NCCC at the Trott Access Center, in January, 2000, when some computer equipment was reported stolen. Holland was then an NCCC employee and Rosati's subordinate.
According to Rosati's attorney, Andrea Sammarco, Rosati thought Holland was involved and tried to discipline her.
"'Reggie' (Rosati) made an attempt to do some completely legitimate personnel moves with Teresa," Sammarco told reporters. "There was ample evidence that (Holland) did not act properly. She turned around and said it was a race issue. That's when the big guns came in."
Holland is black, Rosati is white.
Sammarco said Holland enlisted the support of Kimble, for whom she had worked on several political campaigns. The suit states that Kimble and other defendants made "false statements ... that (Rosati) was a racist and supported racist agendas, that (Rosati) had discriminated against African-Americans, including Holland, that (Rosati) had stolen property and/or equipment from NCCC, and that (Rosati) was mentally ill."
Records from the Erie County Department of Social Services show that, at the time of the alleged computer theft, Holland was receiving monthly payouts of $234 under the state's Home Energy Assistance Program. Records further show that, after applying for public assistance in Erie County on Oct. 28, 1997, using a Bennett Terrace address in Buffalo, Holland applied for benefits in Niagara County on Dec. 1 of that year.
The address used on the Niagara County application cannot be determined, as a memo on the file notes: "Case data prior to 01/01/99 removed from database as of 2/27/01." Who removed the data or why is not spelled out in the files.
Records from the Department of Social Services show Holland had been receiving various forms of public assistance as far back as 1991. In October of that year, she was arrested along with 15 others in what was described in a copyrighted Oct. 27, 1991 Buffalo News article as a raid on a "suspected drug house."
Charged with first-degree loitering, Holland was released after posting a $100 bond, records show.
In December of 1992, she was picked up again in a drug sweep that netted "a large quantity of crack cocaine, police scanners, over $3,000 cash, an undetermined amount of jewelry, a quantity of marijuana and other equipment," police said. Holland was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a radio device.
Attempts by the Reporter last week to determine the final disposition of both the 1991 and 1992 criminal cases were unsuccessful.
Niagara County Democratic Party officials who supported Holland's bid for the youth bureau post said they were surprised to learn of her arrest record last week.
"In light of the fact I was unaware of these things that may have happened in the past, I'll have to do some due diligence myself and look into what exactly happened," said county Legislator Sam Granieri, who voted for Holland's appointment.
"This certainly should be investigated," he said.
The credentials presented by Holland prior to her appointment were impeccable, Granieri added.
"There was no hint of anything like this," he said.
Democratic Chairman Nick Forster said a lot of people have things in their past they're not particularly proud of.
"Not having all the information on the disposition of those cases, I would say that just because a person has had some trouble 10 years ago, that shouldn't be a death sentence," he said. "In this instance, a troubled past may have brought blossoms for the future."
But county Republican Chairman Henry Wojtaszek said he found the reports disturbing.
"These are very serious allegations that, if true, don't send a very good message to the youth of Niagara County," he said.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | April 23 2002 |