Rossi ‘Outraged’ By Misspent COVID-19 Relief Funds; O'Brien Calls For Resignation

WEST HAVEN, CT — West Haven Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said she is “outraged” by the results of an independent audit that found the city misspent nearly $893,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds.

The Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB) voted Friday to release the forensic audit, which was conducted by CohnReznick LLP and commissioned by the Office of Policy and Management.

The auditors concluded that about 80 percent of the city's $1.15 million COVID relief funds "should have been disallowed," according to a news release.

“I carefully reviewed the audit report over the weekend that was submitted by CohnReznick on Friday, April 1,” Rossi said in a statement released Monday. “I understand the outrage from the community, and quite honestly, I am equally outraged. This is embarrassing to West Haven. Proper financial controls have been a problem and ignored in our city for decades. I have made a real effort and some progress on improving the city’s control structure, but, admittedly, not fast enough. I take full responsibility as mayor, but at the same time, I make the commitment to our residents that I will make any needed changes and will facilitate the implementation of any additional financial controls necessary to ensure that something like this never happens again.”

Rossi said some of the issues in the audit report “have already been addressed, and we will be drafting and implementing additional controls to satisfy the other noted deficiencies soon.”

“I have a meeting with the MARB [on Tuesday] where we will discuss a comprehensive correction plan — to not only institute additional controls but submit the necessary documentation to validate the COVID-19 expenditures that were not approved for reimbursement. In the end, I believe the city will qualify and receive reimbursement for most of the COVID-19-related expenditures incurred.

“Finance Director Scott D. Jackson will be addressing the City Council at its next meeting to update members on immediate steps taken and my corrective action plan moving forward.”

Also on Monday, former Mayor Ed O’Brien organized an “Accountability Rally” on the steps of West Haven City Hall and called on Rossi to resign.