STATEN ISLAND — The head of Staten Island's Board of Elections office was fined $3,500 for having employees drive her to work without paying them, the Conflict of Interest Board announced Tuesday.
Sheila Del Giorno, chief clerk of the Richmond County BOE, paid the fine after she had two of her staff members chauffeur her around without reimbursing them or paying for the trips, the COIB said.
Starting on Sep. 10, 2007, nearly a year after she took over the post, Del Giorno had a friend who worked in the office drive her to and from work because they live near each other and Del Giorno doesn't drive, according to her deposition.
Until the worker left the office in 2015, Del Giorno said the worker drove her almost daily, according to the deposition.
Del Giorno also had a different worker drive her to doctor's appointments during the work day, using his annual leave to get the time off to do so, according to the deposition.
City law requires that public servants get a waiver from the COIB to carpool with their workers, regardless of whether they're reimbursed or not.
In her deposition, Del Giorno said she wasn't aware she was breaking any city rules by accepting the rides.
Aside from being the head of the borough's BOE office, Del Giorno is also the mother of high-powered lobbyist Jon Del Giorno, a member of the firm Pitta Bishop Del Giorno & Giblin, according to the Staten Island Advance.
The firm has been one of the top 10 in the city for the past several years.
