Tim Healy has worked in West Seneca’s Highway Department for 14 years, but it’s in the last several months that he has been making an aggressive — and, at times, illegal — play for the office of Highway Superintendent.
In late February of this year, Healy illegally obtained sealed custody records from a Town police officer, Sean Donovan. The sealed records related to his opponent, the endorsed Democrat, Tommy Reese.
Healy showed those records to a dozen or so people, including several members of the West Seneca Democratic Committee. The documents are rumored to have contained personal information relating to the mother of his son. Reese has residential custody of his son.
Officer Donovan has since been demoted, with a substantial pay cut — but Healy has not yet been arrested, largely because of his continued refusal to speak with police investigating the incident.
Reese is a 28-year employee of the Town’s highway department and ran for office without party backing in the last election cycle, and garnered more than 42% of the vote. When he asked the Town’s Democratic Committee for its endorsement this year, he wasn’t expected to get it because he is considered something of a political outsider.
Charismatic and well-qualified, Reese performed well in the endorsement meeting. With his 28 years of experience and ideas on how to better manage the department, the Committee was persuaded to endorse Reese.
Erie County Democratic Party Chairman Jeremy Zellner was shocked by the development. Zellner had wanted the Committee to endorse Healy, a headquarters loyalist who is far more doting in his posture — and, presumably, less likely to question the Town’s suspiciously high billings for salt, long suspected to be the object of local political graft.
Healy and Democratic Town Chairman Tim Elling obtained the sealed records not long after the endorsement meeting. They destroyed those records and refused to testify to the police or local news outlets. The detective investigating the case closed it quickly, claiming that “no copies are known to exist.”
Zellner has been helping Healy fund raise.
Had the police been able to establish a chain of evidence, those involved could have been subject to a slew of charges: computer trespassing; unlawful duplication of computer-related material; criminal possession of computer related material; and corrupt use of position and authority.
Observers of Town politics suspect that several members of the Democratic Committee could have been charged under those laws, and several high profile civic leaders have been calling for the investigation to be reopened.
The Democratic Party primary for Superintendent is scheduled for June 25th. Reese has also been endorsed by the Working Families Party.
As I read this article of yours, it seems to me that you are not satisfied with the the results of the investigation so you want us to believe that there is a cover up by the police, the Democratic Party and your opponent to smear them to cast a vote for you
Exactly. Narcissist.
Well if its just some dumb custody crap why not just show the people? Then again why would you even try to expose something so minor? I’m sure like always there is more to the story, where there’s smoke there’s fire.
Is it anyone’s business, especially since records are sealed. What if its protecting his son…what matters is bullshit has flies on it and flies are nothing but pests. We don’t need people who are going to stop low or do illegal shit in politics or running the town….
You seems really bothered by this lol
You are missing the point. Healy did something underhanded and ILLEGAL. Why would be want someone like that in ANY position in our Town?
I like Tom , carroll and Tracy , the sons an ass ,
So had Tom you idiot!!
“we”
Well it’s certainly not better to have a someone who is arrogant and unstable with a short fuse which has been common knowledge over his entire career. Unstability that lead to Physical altercations with fellow employees and in relationships are not qualifications for supervision or any job for that matter.
I am confused are you talking about Healey
Perfectly and correctly stated John
Very dirty. If you have to stoop so low as to perform illegal activities to win then what illegal and dirty practices will you do in office? My vote is for Tommy Reese
And your insane too Linda. Good for you!!
When it comes to custody battles you could ask any family court judge there are no rules in desperation of desperate people like in politics. People will do or say anything to keep there children from the other parent regardless of the situation. It’s part of the judges job to weed through all the bullshit and lies that’s why the documents are not public knowledge.
This whole article is bullshit. To say Healy presumably wouldn’t question the town’s high bills for salt and stuff is strictly an opinion, a slightly slanderous one at that .
Healy is looking like just another corrupt politician. Every time he is questioned he defers to his attorney. Maybe his attorney should run for the office.
The missing report should be somewhere in a computer..so to say it is lost..is BS in caps.
I would like to see Tom Reese, Jr. Continue in the election bid, he is very qualified.
Also, the bad behavior of Mr. Healy should not be rewarded.
Lets clean up West Seneca.
Cathleen A Seebald