County Exec Reorganizes Rockland Community Development Office

NEW CITY, NY – Rockland County Executive Ed Day has restructured the county Office of Community Development.

"This new structure increases accountability and will streamline the department's function," Day said in his announcement Thursday about the changes.

The restructuring is an ongoing effort to ensure full compliance and accountability in the department's operations, he said.

The Rockland County Office of Community Development administers the local grants for the national Community Development Block Grant Program.

The grants help fund public improvement projects ranging from the Bowline Point Park playground in Haverstraw town and a community park in Kaser, to sidewalk improvements on Midland Avenue in Nyack and Wayne Avenue in Suffern.

Day said that in 2016, Dr. Penny Jennings, assisted by the County Auditor and the Law Department, began a top to bottom dissection of the Office of Community Development after it was determined that the previous director had effectively failed to carry out direction from Day to address personnel and financial issues.

That director is no longer employed by county government, Day said.

Jennings, whose appointment as county Human Rights Commissioner was deep-sixed by the County Legislature, will remain in an administrative role in the Office of Community Development, Day said.

"She will continue the work she has already started to sort out how public funds have been allocated by this department and how that money has been used," Day said.

The lawmakers rejected Jennings as Human Rights Commissioner because they said she did not reach out to them or respect the Legislature. In November, when Day first said he'd be giving her a different position, then-legislative Chairman Alden Wolfe Wolfe said the move was an insult.

Since she was assigned in May, Jennings has found numerous, questionable issues surrounding federal funds granted to various entities and has, and will continue to, take corrective action to protect taxpayer dollars, Day said.

The administration is instituting proceedings against a Ramapo enterprise and a Haverstraw business for misuse of block grant funds.

Internally, four positions have been eliminated, disciplinary action has been taken as part of the review of department's reorganization, and reporting responsibilities have been revamped, he said.

At the same time, the county is preparing to contract with a forensic auditor to review the department's records in detail and to examine the procedures, performance and practices of previous Community Development Department Directors.

Request for quotes from firms that are already on a Qualified Suppliers List for Forensic Auditors will be opened Friday.

"We are taking every step available to us to make sure that taxpayer funds entrusted to the Office of Community Development are used appropriately and accounted for down to the last dime," Day said.