McMahon announces independent panel to review candidates for Onondaga County comptroller

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County Executive J. Ryan McMahon II on Thursday announced an independent, three-person panel to review the applications and résumés of candidates seeking appointment as comptroller of Onondaga County.

The current comptroller, Robert Antonacci, is vacating the position following his election to the New York State Senate.

The independent panel members are Ed Kochian, former deputy executive of Onondaga County; James Maturo, current deputy comptroller; and Carol Fletcher, president of C.R. Fletcher Associates Inc., an employee-recruitment firm, per a Thursday news release from McMahon’s office.

Kochian served as deputy executive for almost 30 years and served under three county executives. Maturo joined the comptroller’s office in 1983 and has “risen through the ranks” to become deputy county comptroller where he has served under three comptrollers. Fletcher has been in the recruiting field since 1980 specializing in the recruitment and placement of accounting and financial professionals on a local, regional and national basis.

“The taxpayers of Onondaga County deserve a fair and transparent process in selecting their next comptroller. I am grateful that Carol, Ed and Jim have all agreed to serve on the panel and review the applications we have received to ensure that the next comptroller is as competent, qualified and ready to lead the office on day one,” McMahon said in the release.

The panel will begin meeting “in the next week” with the intention of making a recommendation no later than Dec. 31, McMahon’s office said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com