LORAIN — Former Lorain Community Development Director Sandy Prudoff is gone from city government, but he has found something to pass the time in his retirement — volunteering with the Neighborhood House Association.

“He’s going to be helping out with our Christmas for Kids program,” said Mike Mayse, the association’s director.

Mayse said he isn’t concerned about the federal corruption investigation that is targeting Prudoff, who hasn’t been charged, let alone convicted, of anything, he said.

“There’s certainly no allegations, only rumors,” he said.

Prudoff was placed on leave from his longtime job with the city in September after the FBI told city officials that he was being looked at in connection with a public corruption investigation that came to light more than a year ago when the FBI raided the offices and homes of several Cuyahoga County politicians and businesspeople.

Prudoff retired a few days after he was suspended.

Numerous people — including former Elyria attorney Timothy Armstrong — already have been indicted and convicted in connection with the investigation.

The FBI has so far served subpoenas on the city demanding documents regarding Prudoff and his department, as well as the Cleveland halfway house that used to be known as Alternatives Agency Inc. Agents also have asked for documents regarding Lorain businessman Don E. Buchs, a friend of Prudoff who did work for the Community Development Department.

Although federal investigators and prosecutors have remained silent on what they are looking at concerning Prudoff, court documents filed in other cases point to concerns the investigators have about work that contractors for Alternatives charged for.

Prudoff worked as a consultant for the halfway house, scouting locations for a possible new facility in Lorain. His attorney has said Prudoff did the work he was paid to do for Alternatives.

Among Prudoff’s projects while he worked for the city was trying to relocate Neighborhood House from its current home at the embattled St. Joseph Community Center to the old Slovenian Club on Pearl Avenue.

After Prudoff left, Mayse said Mayor Tony Krasienko “put the kibosh” on that project, forcing the association to begin the process of moving its kitchen to the Mildred Bond Building on East 30th Street. The association’s offices will move to Elyria, he said.

Prudoff became aware of Neighborhood House’s mission while working on relocating it, Mayse said, and offered to help prepare for the Christmas program, which will benefit about 550 children in December.

“He’ll work a couple hours a day helping out children,” Mayse said. “I’m not asking him to do my accounting or handle money.”

Krasienko and other city officials are working on a plan to keep the doors of St. Joseph open. The cash-strapped community center remains in danger of closing if the city can’t come up with a plan to save it.

Contact Brad Dicken at 329-7147 or bdicken@chroniclet.com.

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