Re: FRAC

[Jeffrey Kerekes]

Sean:

Thanks for the note.  Joseph Bujalski is not an active member and has not replied to contacts from me or from Patti Lawlor (as I recall), which leaves 3 openings to fill. Your timing on the letter is apt as I intended to send this letter from the FRAC to you today expressing our urgent appeal to fill the remaining members.  Please forward this letter to the Mayor.

Friday, October 16, 2009

 

John DeStefano, Jr

Mayor

City of New Haven

165 Church Street

New Haven, CT 06511

 

RE: Financial Review & Audit Commission Appointments

 

Dear Mayor DeStefano:

 

We the undersigned Commissioners of the Financial Review & Audit Commission (FRAC) are writing to express our deep concern over the lack of appointments to FRAC.  As you are aware, we are tasked with reviewing the monthly financial reports, selecting the City’s Auditor, and tasked with a project to prepare a Five Year Plan. We are unable to meet this obligation without being able to have a quorum of commissioners.  At the time of this writing, we have only four of nine commissioners appointed to the commission with a fifth one hopefully finalized in the near future (and a sixth one in perhaps a few months). At present, we are unable to hold an official meeting.  Our concern is that the FRAC has not had an official and genuinely productive meeting in years despite its charter obligations.  Our recent official meetings have been about organizing our work rather than doing it.

 

In our current incarnation, we are unable to meet our obligation to select an Auditing firm for the City. Members of our commission have submitted numerous names of potential commissioners and urge your immediate attention to appoint the remaining commissioners.  We are all eager to take up these challenges and make a meaningful contribution to the City and we need your help to make this possible.

 

The current time table, according to the Controller, is that we will advertise for a new Auditing Firm in December, 2009, get proposals back and conduct interviews in January 2010, make a selection in February 2010 and then submit the recommendation to BOA for approval beginning of March 2010. While this schedule affords us a little spare time, the BOA approval process for appointments takes several weeks at the quickest and often longer. We currently are in possession of RFPs from firms interested in working with the City on a five year plan and do not have a enough members to have a quorum to move forward on these proposals. Given these factors, we therefore ask you to move forward without delay.

 

Please find a list of possible Commissioners attached for your review.

 

With Sincerity,

 

 

Jeffrey Kerekes, Commissioner                          Carmen Canales, Commissioner

Edward Piazza, Commissioner                          Martin O’Connor, Commissioner

 

 

Cc:       Sean Matteson, Chief of Staff

            Carl Goldfield, President, BOA

 

 

Potential Financial Review & Audit Commission Members

 

1. Doug Hausladen (D): douglas....@aya.yale.edu (via Emily Byrne)
2. Peter Blasini: pbb...@aol.com (via Emily Byrne)
3. Susan Jordan: bellesl...@yahoo.com (via Emily Byrne)
4. DAVID Cameron (via Alfreda Edwards)
5. Ken Joyner (via Alfreda Edwards
6. Peter dobkin call (via Alfreda Edwards)
7. Gwendolyn Sykes, former Yale U. CFO (via Gina Calder)
8. Harvey Koizim
9. Nancy Ahern (R)  Nancy...@hinfoserv.com
10. Tom Mallone (R)
11. Cordalie Benoit, JD (R) 203-624-6737, cordali...@aya.yale.edu
12. Harry David, MBA (I) 203-530-8106, hda...@yahoo.com
13. Stephen H. Kovel, Owner, Hull's Art Supply & Framing, 1144 Chapel Street, New Haven  CT  06511, (w) 203 865 4855, (h) 203 745 3945    
14. Richard Tortora, Bank Manager at Bank of America, richard....@bankofamerica.com, c:203-915-9730

Thanks,

Jeffrey Kerekes

jeffrey...@gmail.com

203-676-0880

On Oct 19, 2009, at 10:05 AM, Sean Matteson wrote:

Commission Members:

A quick note on the commission.  With the surprise of Matt & Richard's resignation coming back-to-back it's left a bit of a hole on the make-up of the commission.  I had previously made an ask to serve to an individual before the two resignations and after some careful consideration they have accepted and I have appointed Beaver Hills resident  Pia Pyles to the commission. The last appointment, Christine Bishop, has finally cleared the Aldermanic process and is now a full board member.

This leaves two empty slots which I am trying to fill as soon as possible.  Currently I have in a direct ask to an individual of interest and am awaiting their acceptance.  I appreciate all of the suggestions for targets and I am happy to look at any other recommendations.  I will keep you up to date as soon as possible.  Any questions you can always call me anytime.

Thanks.

_____________________________
Sean Matteson
Chief of Staff
City of New Haven
165 Church Street
New Haven, CT 06510
203-946-8200 Voice
203-946-2998 Fax
www.cityofnewhaven.com



<Sean Matteson.vcf>

[O'Connor, Martin]

Colleagues,

 

I hope that you are well. By now each of us has been contacted by the reporter from the Yale Daily News. The letter, as drafted and amended by Jeffrey, speaks to our concerns. Each of us will make up our own mind but I don’t think that it is necessary to comment beyond what is contained in the letter. Our next meeting is scheduled for next week. Hopefully we will be in position to address the question of leadership as well as a status report on appointments. On Sunday morning I asked Mark to inquire from Corporation Counsel about the question of our functioning with 5 members, specifically whether the quorum requirement is based on the full board or on the number of members actually serving.  I will keep you posted on what I hear.

 

Peace

Marty

[Jeffrey Kerekes]

Thanks Marty.

Thanks,

Jeffrey Kerekes

jeffrey...@gmail.com

203-676-0880