Sources: Sposato out as corrections commissioner; lands at NUMC

                                                                           
                                                                              



As predicted, controversial Nassau County Corrections Commissioner Michael Sposato has been moved out of managing the East Meadow jail following the recent approval of a new contract by the county's corrections officers union.

Sources say Sposato, a former Nassau sheriff, has landed a "more lucrative" position at the Nassau University Medical Center, though his title there remains unclear.

Michael Sposato


The change in jail leadership was signaled in a post by Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman yesterday announcing the appointment of a new Acting Corrections Commissioner.

Sposato a former jail cook, was first named acting sheriff in 2008 by then-Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, and kept on by  Republican County Executive Ed Mangano, before he was fired by Democratic County Executive Laura Curran.

His claim to fame was cutting overtime costs at the jail. Mangano described him as a "proven cost cutter."

But corrections officers hated Sposato; they protested and demanded his firing as did county Democratic lawmakers, citing a rash of inmate deaths and problems with health care at the jail.

After the Corrections Officers Benevolent Association in Sept. 2022 voted down a new labor agreement negotiated by Blakeman and COBA president Brian Sullivan,  Blakeman brought back Sposato for $145,000 a year as corrections commissioner in what appeared to be retaliation against the union for rejecting his deal.

But with Sposato back in charge, jail overtime costs again went down.

Then COBA in October overwhelmingly approved a second deal negotiated by Blakeman and Sullivan that was very similar to the first rejected agreement.

It was assumed that there was an understanding that Sposato would be moved out in return for the union vote.


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