Cooper recommended that the SCC create a staff position of Inspector General in her January 2006 report on the corporation. Upon taking office, Gov. Jon S. Corzine endorsed the proposal, labeling it a high priority.

As a result, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by Cooper and Scott Weiner, CEO of the SCC, earlier this year. It establishes two positions instead of one.

"The presence of the Inspector General's staff in our offices demonstrates that the SCC is focused on the highest levels of accountability and efficiency," said Scott Weiner, CEO of the SCC. "I believe her staff will play a key role here, strengthening our internal procedures and serving as a resource to our own employees."

Cooper said the agreement signals her office's continuing commitment to help the SCC operate at the highest standards.

Stated Cooper: "Since the Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued its first report, SCC's new leadership has demonstrated a strong commitment to the efficient use of state funds to build schools by implementing internal controls, restructuring the organization, and hiring knowledgeable and experienced staff. Implementation of this OIG recommendation gives me the confidence that SCC's aim of maintaining fiscal integrity and accountability is strong."

Under the MOU, the two Assistant Inspector Generals, Anne Kriegner and William Thomas, have the authority to investigate, examine and audit operations of the SCC. Their job will be to guard against waste, fraud and abuse, recommend policies and procedures to increase efficiency and suggest changes to help SCC staff comply with the law.

The IG staff will have full access to SCC records and, when necessary, conduct interviews of corporation staff.

Thomas, an attorney for 23 years, spent the last nine years as senior counsel for the New Jersey Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection, which is a committee of the New Jersey Supreme Court. There he investigated attorneys accused of stealing client funds. Prior to that, he spent 14 years in private practice as a trial attorney in Camden County.

Kriegner served 27 years as a state investigator for the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, and was chief state investigator for the division from 2002 to 2005, responsible for all administrative and investigative functions of 350 civil and criminal investigators. Most recently, she was a field representative for the Police Training Commission, overseeing inspection and compliance for various academies throughout the state.

The Inspector General has had a presence in SCC offices, but the MOU turns this informal, active collaboration into a permanent arrangement.

The SCC has undergone significant changes since the beginning of the Corzine administration to strengthen accountability and prevent waste, including the creation of the Office of Chief Counsel to provide an in-house staff of experienced construction attorneys to help seek recovery of taxpayer money.

Last week, with representation from the Attorney General’s Office, the SCC launched an initiative to sue to recover costs from responsible parties for environmental cleanup.