Mayor Thomas Urges County Exec. to Join Him In Calling On District Attorney to Investigate Past Abuses of Memorial Field
RICHARD THOMAS
MAYOR
May 31, 2018
The Honorable George Latimer
County Executive
148 Martine A venue
White Plains, NY 10601
Dear County Executive Latimer,
Thank you for your letter of May 31, 2018, regarding Memorial Field. There is much to agree to in it, especially the need for the City and County to partner together on the successful restoration of Mount Vernon’s iconic Memorial Field.
The City’s view is that any serious move forward must include a definitive understanding of what went wrong in the past. The troubling issues raise<:! in your letter, which include deviating from “approved plans without the County’s prior written consent,” dumping of “several thousand tons of dirt and construction debris” on the property, and failing to complete the project “more than seven years after the IMA was executed,” all demand answers.
To get those answers, we recommend the County and City join in calling for the Westchester District Attorney to investigate the circumstances that have brought us to this point. This would objectively establish if laws were broken, tax dollars stolen or misappropriated, and if so, identify those responsible and put future safeguards in place.
As County Legislator Lyndon Williams told the Journal News back in March: “What happened there was simply a crime, to have a city dumped on, a field where children play and will eventually play. And no one is held accountable for it.”
Bringing in the District Attorney would afford residents with the best assurance that the interests of taxpayers, the safety of the public and the integrity of government are being protected. The time has come face the record, address mistakes and rebuild Memorial Field the right way. This will ensure its success and longevity for future generations.
Please let me know if you agree with the outlined approach and how our teams can best partner together. I look forward to working with you on this important endeavor.
Respectfully,
Richard Thomas
Mayor, City of Mount Vernon
CC:
County Legislator Lyndon Williams
County Legislator David Tubiolo
Benjamin Boykin, Chair, Board of Legislators
Ken Jenkins, Deputy County Executive
Joan McDonald, Director of Operations, Westchester County John Nonna, Westchester County Attorny
Mount Vernon City Council
Comptroller Deborah Reynolds
