Recap of March 19, 2019, Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency Meeting
On Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at 10:55 AM in the Mayor’s Conference Room, the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency (“MVURA” or “Agency”) held a board meeting where Executive Director Chantelle Okarter and Deputy Executive Director Sylvia Bolivar briefed the Board on several pending items.
The MVURA Board is comprised of the following members: Chairman Richard Thomas, Vice Chairman Lawrence Porcari, Interim Treasurer Darren Morton and members, Comptroller Deborah Reynolds and Council President Andre Wallace. Comptroller Deborah Reynolds did not attend the noticed meeting.
It is important to note that Comptroller Reynolds has not attended any MVURA board meetings since she has been installed as the City’s Comptroller. New York State law mandates that the Comptroller of the City shall be a member of the MVURA Board. See General Municipal Law, Article 15-B, Title 28, Section 598: https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/general-municipal-law/gmu-sect-598.html.
The pending items presented to the MVURA Board included: (1) update on the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency Audits; (2) update on Voucher Payment Requests; (3) Status of RFP for 5-Year Con Plan; (4) Status of Passed Legislation for Reimbursement; (5) Status of Health & Retirement Bills in the amount of $656K; (6) The Pointe — 205 South Fifth Avenue; (7) update on 2017 Capers; and (8) 2018 Grant Awards.
Items (1) and (2) were the most pressing and produced the most dialogue amongst the members.
Status of MVURA Audits
After years of requests by Mayor Thomas to members of the City Council (and to former Comptroller Maureen Walker and current Comptroller Deborah Reynolds) to fund the MVURA audits, on March 15, 2019, the Board of Estimate finally approved legislation to retain the firm Grassi & Company to assist the City in closing the FY 2016, 2017 and 2018 MVURA books and records. The City on behalf of the Agency, however, has yet to retain a firm to conduct the MVURA audit.
Status of Outstanding Voucher Payment Requests to Comptroller
In February 2019, Comptroller Deborah Reynolds’ failed to transfer HUD grant funds in the amount of $892,000 to the MVURA and returned the funds back to HUD. Documentation establishing that the funds had been rejected by the Comptroller’s Office and returned to HUD was distributed to all board members.
In an effort to meet its financial and contractual obligations to third parties, the MVURA Finance Team has redrawn and resubmitted vouchers in the amount of $260,000 to the Comptroller’s Office. If transferred by the Comptroller to the MVURA, in accordance with passed legislation, these funds will be used to provide: (i) Spring 2019 scholarship payments to 25 recipients of the Mayor’s Scholarship Program; (ii) funding for afterschool and recreation programs; and (iii) February, March and April rent payments to landlords who are housing clients in the City’s Continuum of Care (CoC).
View a link to the meeting here: https://www.facebook.com/MayorRichardThomas/videos/vb.157104321310704/2139072442984314/?type=2&theater
