CONGRATULATIONS TO MT. PLEASANT SUPERVISOR CARL FULGENZI 

FOR BEING NAMED ONE OF WESTCHESTER'S

 $$$ HIGHEST PAID $$$ 

ELECTED OFFICIALS BY

THE JOURNAL NEWS!!

 

 

Recently, the Journal News published a series of articles after conducting an in-depth investigation into the salaries of Westchester County's elected officials.  Two of those articles discuss the Chief Elected Officer of the Town of Mount Pleasant, Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi, and should be a matter of serious concern here in the Town of Mount Pleasant.  The two articles referenced above can be found at the following links, and for those who may not have read them yet, it is advisable for all residents to examine them:

"Elected Officials gave selves raises in 15 Westchester municipalities" http://www.lohud.com/story/news/investigations/2016/07/11/elected-official-raises-westchester/86573894/ 

"Who are the top paid elected officials in Westchester" http://www.lohud.com/story/news/investigations/2016/07/11/who-top-paid-elected-officials-westchester/86563018/    

 

Now that Supervisor Fulgenzi has been identified as the FOURTH highest paid elected official in the entire County of Westchester, at a salary of $148,703, a salary higher than that paid to the Governor's of at least 30 States, the question must be asked.  Will Mr. Fulgenzi finally pay off all of the long overdue personal debts that he owes to a number of the Town's businesses and organizations?  Apparently, Mr. Fulgenzi "forgot" to pay those bills, but, now that he is "rolling in the dough" (thanks to his taxpayer funded raise), maybe he can see his way clear to settle those delinquent accounts  and make restitution to the creditors who could really use the money.  We will follow this story and inform the public as to whether or not Mr. Fulgenzi "balances the books".  (Note:  The Blog was contacted by a number of business owners and at least one organization, stating that Mr. Fulgenzi has outstanding accounts/debts with them.)  It would appear that Mr. Fulgenzi may think that his elected position/title gives him special privilege and absolves him of any obligation to pay his debts; viewing himself as someone not held to the same standards as the ordinary residents of this Town.  We consider this conduct to be criminal behavior, specifically "Abuse of Office".

 

The Blog has also been informed that Mr. Fulgenzi is not the only Town official/employee to have difficulty understanding that goods and services provided by local merchants aren't free.  There are no special discounts for those in power, although some Town employees (most likely taking a cue from their boss, the Supervisor) seem to feel that they are entitled by their Town position(s) to special treatment.  That is truly the legal definition of "Abuse of Office", and that abuse appears to be out of control in the Town of Mount Pleasant.  Certain merchants have commented that they don't know what to do when placed in situations where public officials/employees abuse their positions and seek to take advantage of the businesses.  The business owners fear that if they report the incident(s), their business will be retaliated against and become the target of selective scrutiny by Town agencies, resulting in their having to pay fines.  So they remain silent and the problem continues to exist.  Hopefully, by exposing this matter in this blog post, those who have abused the merchants in the past, will think twice before doing so again.  Maybe our next blog post will identify the guilty parties!  

 

Considering that Supervisor Fulgenzi has been identified as one of the highest paid public officials in the County, one might  logically ask what relevant talents does Mr. Fulgenzi bring to the Supervisor's position that justify such a lofty salary?  The answer - NONE.  Mr. Fulgenzi has no administrative or managerial experience in his background.  Prior to his election to the Board, Mr. Fulgenzi was a plumber; a noble profession, but, not normally looked upon as a prerequisite for the Town Supervisor position.  Is paying such a high salary to a minimally qualified individual really the best use of public funds?  Taxpayers should consider this fact seriously, since it is their hard earned dollars that are paying for this unwarranted and extravagant salary.  Further, we should note that while Mr. Fulgenzi gave himself a raise (obviously with the approval of his loyal cronies on the Town Board), very deserving Senior Programs still go without Town funding, as a result of financial cutbacks.  Obviously, the fact that Senior services are being short changed is not of great concern to Supervisor Fulgenzi; self-serving Carl got his!!!

 

Apparently, Mr. Fulgenzi needed the raise.  Information recently brought to the Blog's attention indicates that Mr. Fulgenzi has some serious personal financial troubles.  Flagstar Bank, FSB, has filed a "Notice of Pendancy" (Index No. 60518/2016, filed on 8/1/16) against Mr. Fulgenzi and his property located at 77 Larrys Lane, Pleasantville, with the New York State Supreme Court.  According to information contained in that filing, it appears that the Bank has begun foreclosure proceedings against the Fulgenzi's and is seeking to secure the payment of $310,000.  One can only wonder if the Supervisor and his cohorts on the Town Board may see fit to award him some additional taxpayer funded raises to help him satisfy the banks demand.  Considering the difficult predicament that Mr. Fulgenzi finds himself in, will Carl reach out to his long time close friend and political ally, County Attorney Bob Meehan, and ask for Mr. Meehan's help with the foreclosure problem?  For those who aren't aware, Bob Meehan served as an attorney for multiple law firms which represented the Long Island Savings Bank back in the '80's and early 90's, and was a "recognized" expert in the field of mortgages and banking during that time.  As a matter of fact, Mr. Meehan's expertise in the area of mortgages is highlighted in the Federal criminal matter (RICO) known as "Weil v. Long Island Savings Bank" (U.S. District Court, E.D.N.Y.), which case addressed one of the largest mortgage scams ever orchestrated.  Mr. Meehan, then serving as Town Supervisor, was named as a defendant in that matter, and was accused of participating in the "laundering" of $11.4 Million for the Bank.  (Note:  The Blog will be presenting additional information on this case and those involved in the matter, in the near future.  That story will be very enlightening.  Stay tuned.) 

 

Fortunately, for Supervisor Fulgenzi, he has 24/7 use of a Town Vehicle, as another "perk" of his office.  That should lighten his financial load a bit, as he can save on the expenses for fuel and insurance for that vehicle.  After all, the taxpayers pick up that tab for him!!  This benefit should allow the Supervisor to "stretch" his paycheck a little more and possibly free up some funds and allow him to apply the savings to pay some of his personal debts.

 

Mr. Fulgenzi's personal financial problems should be of  critical concern to the citizens of the Town of Mount Pleasant.  Consider that the Chief Elected/Operating Officer of the Town, cannot manage his own personal financial matters properly, as evidenced by the facts presented above.  That fact then begs the question - How can the public have confidence in Mr. Fulgenzi's ability to properly administer/manage the finances of the Town in a responsible manner, when it is apparent that he is not even qualified to manage his own?  Concerns about Mr. Fulgenzi's personal financial problems should raise the question as to his competency to continue to hold the office of Town Supervisor.  The New York State Office of the State Comptroller has published a report entitled "Red Flags for Fraud".  That report cites a list of "red flags" or warnings which could indicate that there is potential for future fraud, and one of those "red flags" is "significant personal debt and credit problems" facing an official or employee; exactly the situation that we see here with Mr. Fulgenzi.  There have been occasions in the past, where high ranking elected officials in various jurisdictions have stepped down from their elected positions because of personal financial problems and the potential ethical questions that those complications raised.  Maybe it is time for Mr. Fulgenzi to consider that option for the good of the Town of Mount Pleasant. 

We here at the Blog, will continue to monitor this situation and bring you, the reader, updates as warranted.