West Haven Again. Credit Card Abuse and More Handwringing.
A measure of the failure of the state’s financial oversight in West Haven. You remember West Haven. When last heard from, former state Representative Michael DiMassa, a city employee, was charged with embezzling $635,000 of Covid relief funds from the coffers of the city that has been under the state’s financial control since 2017.
Monday night’s city council meeting revealed abuse of the city’s credit card. The use of the city’s credit card far exceeds the receipts in the municipal government’s possession.
How bad is it? The state’s budget director, Melissa McCaw, had to get out her sickbed (she’s suffering from COVID and missed a budget presentation today) to address the latest crisis in West Haven. After learning of the council meeting revelations, McCaw told OPM’s municipal oversight board, ” Immediate action in West Haven has been taken at the direction of OPM. A follow-up correspondence from me to the MARB will be forthcoming to update you accordingly. Please stay tuned.”