Mayor Previews Court Case Against the Comptroller

Seeking Access to City’s Financial Records

More Than $1 Million in Unpaid Bills Outstanding, Records Not Filed

Previewing arguments that will be made in court next week, Mayor Richard Thomas today outlined actions by the Mount Vernon Comptroller that are crippling the city’s ability to operate and that require judicial intervention to prevent irreparable harm to residents.

Court action is necessary because for months Comptroller Deborah Reynolds has failed to pay bills and file legally required documents, which have put the city’s residents at risk. Complicating matters is the fact that only Comptroller Reynolds, as the city’s chief financial officer, knows the full picture of the city’s financial condition.

“The city will be in Court on Wednesday to seek immediate relief,” said Mayor Thomas. “Mount Vernon cannot operate if its Comptroller doesn’t do her job. Because she is an elected official, outside intervention is required. That starts with requiring the Comptroller to open her books so elected officials and the public can get an accurate picture of the city’s finances.”

Problems with the Comptroller have been festering all year and fall into two main categories: not paying bills and bad record keeping.

Bad Record Keeping

On October 12, the New York State Comptroller’s office notified the city that Comptroller Reynolds had failed to submit required filings with respect to the state’s constitutional tax limits.

Although the Comptroller claimed to remedy the situation as of Nov. 1, the city received notice on Nov. 15 that that was not the case.

Without these forms in place, the city cannot adopt a budget for 2019.

Unpaid bills

Paying the city’s bills is the responsibility of the Comptroller and since Ms. Reynolds came into office in January, the backlog of unpaid bills has increased 10-fold to more than $1 million. Areas disrupted by late and non-payments include:

· The Police Department: Officers cannot get their department cell phones upgraded and repaired because the city’s account is more than 60 days delinquent.

· The Planning Department: The Comptroller refused to fund the Commissioner’s salary after it was approved by the City Council and Board of Estimate.

· Reproduction and Mail Services: A freeze was placed on the city’s postage account because no payment had been made since July. No postage equals no mail. Postage was restored only as of yesterday, after the Comptroller wired in the funds. But, there is still no copy paper for the mailroom/duplication center, and all the departments are out of paper.

· Seniors: Deliveries of toilet paper and other toiletries to the Doles Center were stopped because of non-payment to the vendor.

· Recreation: The Comptroller has refused to act on a $641,000 reimbursement grant from the federal government to renovate playgrounds across the city, despite approval by the City Council and Board of Estimate.

· City Hall: Water coolers in City Hall will be removed on Dec. 12 because the bills are overdue.

· Civil Service: New York State’s Civil Service has informed the city that some Mount Vernon workers and retirees could have their health insurance, as well as other benefits, terminated on Dec. 26, if the city doesn’t pay the $190,000 it owes to Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield by then. The City Council and Board of Estimate authorized payments in March.

· Public Works: Late bills for two bucket trucks, environmental testing, and repair parts total more than $130,000. This resulted in one bucket truck being repossessed, the other being held until repair bills are paid, and critical parts suppliers no longer doing business with the city.

The case is being heard by Judge Susan Cacace in state Supreme Court in White Plains on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.