Curran transition team member’s company has Nassau contract

One member of Nassau Democratic County Executive-elect Laura Curran’s transition team heads a company that holds a multimillion-dollar contract with the county while another member works for a firm that does business with Nassau.

Victoria Manes, president of the Triad Group, is one of 35 members of the transition team that Curran said will help identify qualified people to serve in her incoming administration.

Triad has a $5.736 million contract with Nassau, which started in 2015 and ends Dec. 31, 2019, for administering Nassau’s workers’ compensation cases. Approximately $3,079,000 has been paid to date, according to County Comptroller George Maragos. The county has an option to extend the contract for two additional years for $2.412 million. Triad has served as the county’s workers’ comp administrator since 2004.

Asked about possible conflicts, Curran spokesman Philip Shulman said, “We ensured from the start that (Manes) won’t be involved in reviewing candidates for any county position that will have contact with, or authority over, her as a vendor.”

Manes could not be reached for comment.

County Republicans also have questioned the role of team member John Donnelly, a former deputy for Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi. Donnelly now works as the “chief talent officer” for the Jackson Lewis law firm. Jackson Lewis has three contracts with Nassau worth a total $1.725 million and has billed $1,650,690 to date, according Maragos.

“There is no conflict of interest in John Donnelly’s volunteer work on the Transition Team,” Shulman said. “He is not an attorney, and provides no advice to the County. His position at Jackson Lewis is Chief Talent Officer, which means he oversees recruitment and hiring, and he is helping find talent for the county executive-elect.” Curran will make all decisions on appointments, Shulman added.

Donnelly could not be reached for comment.