Boxes found, DSS Commissioner disgusted

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Needed forms asking for food and money sat in boxes at the Hartford regional DSS office, maybe for years untouched. The thought of such blatant oversight sickens Department of Social Services Commissioner Roderick Bremby.

"It disgusts me because a lot of people have been working really hard in the agency trying to get it up on it's feet again. This agency has been without adequate resources for quite sometime," Bremby said.

Those needing state aid often have to wait more than a month to be processed due to the sheer number of rising applications. Couple that with this latest public relations controversy, and it sparks anger among many needing help.

Calls flooded in to News 8's "Voice of the People" line.

"It's pretty sad because I'm one of the recipients on that, on a disability and I've been trying to get through to them for probably two to three weeks now. The state needs to step up here," a caller said.

The commissioner says his office is doing just that, going over each form one by one to make sure no one has been left out.

Meanwhile, five employees have been placed on administrative leave.

"This is not carelessness, this is neglectful. That's why we're wanting to take action quickly," Bremby said.

"It's quite clear that somebody wasn't doing their job, and by all appearances may have been trying to cover that up," Gov. Malloy said.

Commissioner Bremby stresses this problem was only at the Hartford regional office.

"What confidence can you give that this won't happen again," News 8's Jamie Muro asked.

"The confidence that I can give is that we have gone ahead and surveyed all the other offices to make sure there is no additional cash around. We'll continue to prod and poke, just to make sure," Bremby said.