MOUNT VERNON COMPTROLLER SEIZES SOLE CONTROL OVER CITY FINANCES WITH NO OVERSIGHT

Mayor Richard Thomas left with Deputy Corporation Counsel Brian Johnson on May 16, 2019

MOUNT VERNON — Comptroller Deborah Reynolds has unilaterally removed Mayor Richard Thomas and the City Council President from the City’s bank-account signature card in violation of a court order and the City Charter.

On Thursday Mayor Thomas and other City officials presented documents showing that Comptroller Reynolds is now the sole signatory on the City’s banking signature cards. Under the new signature card, if Comptroller Reynolds were to become incapacitated or unable to fulfill her duties, there is no one empowered to officially sign the City’s checks.

“She now has sole control of the City finances without any oversight from the City Council or the Mayor,” said Brian Johnson, deputy corporation counsel. “That means she can (do), and she has been doing, anything that she wants. She pays whomever she wants without City Council or mayoral approval, when ever she wants.”

NOW SHE IS ACCOUNTABLE TO NOBODY

According to the City Charter, Article 65:

“The Mayor shall, on behalf of and in the name of the City of Mount Vernon, countersign all checks issued by the Comptroller, except checks issued to pay the principal of bonds, interest thereon, coupons thereof, and for compensation of employees of the Department of Public Works, and execute all deeds and contracts made by the City and shall cause to be affixed thereto the City seal.”

Link to the Mount Vernon City Charter Article 65: https://ecode360.com/13909278

Mayor Thomas called Comptroller Reynolds’ removal of his signature authority another example of her efforts to obstruct his administration.

“There’s been court order, after court order, after court order instructing the City Council and the Comptroller to stop the obstruction and start serving the people of Mount Vernon,” Mayor Thomas said Thursday. “In this very case, the City Comptroller unilaterally acted behind my back in defiance of multiple court orders not to obstruct or infringe upon executive authority.”

In response to the Comptroller’s latest action, Mayor Thomas is calling for a special meeting on Friday with the City Council. He will also appeal to the state Supreme Court and ask it to enforce a court decision ordering the Comptroller to refrain from blocking the Mayor’s access to bank records.

Oversight of the Comptroller’s actions has become more urgent since the Mount Vernon school district filed a $31 million lawsuit against the Comptroller, accusing her of withholding taxes she has collected on the district’s behalf.

In addition to the missing school taxes, Comptroller Reynolds’ nonpayment of bills to City vendors led to a disruption of garbage collection earlier this year, as well as shortages of postage in City Hall, toilet paper in senior centers and plants for spring plantings in public parks.

Comptroller Reynolds is an elected official and she cannot be fired by Mayor Thomas, who has repeatedly called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other state officials to begin proceedings that would remove the Comptroller from office.