There were no questions or comments, meanwhile, about government waste, fraud and abuse exposed by Inspector General Cumming, who pointed to the inherent flaw of “a political board.”

The engineer, who secured a full-time job during the same hours he worked for the water bureau, is still employed by DPW.

The current lease requires the city to vacate the building – and pay a hefty penalty – if it decides not to fully lease the sprawling former newspaper property.