Showing he can play offense as well as defense, Mayor O’Brien is calling out Nancy Rossi for her inflated claims regarding her ability to make financial decisions for the city. O’Brien, who has been forced throughout the campaign to defend his administration from Ros- si’s attacks, took a different tone this week regarding what he claims is the cornerstone of her campaign.
“Nancy’s entire campaign is predicated on her being some sort of financial genius but her record proves otherwise.”
O’Brien first points to Rossi’s decision to retroactively approve a bid waiver for a firetruck purchased improperly by former Allingtown Fire Chief Peter Massaro in 2015. Massaro purposely skipped the competitive bidding process, violating city procedures and FEMA guidelines, when purchasing a new truck for the department and overpaid by nearly $200,000.
“Where were Nancy’s tight-fisted policies when this happened?” O’Brien asked. Not only did Rossi vote for the retroactive bid waiver, she went on the record as being “very supportive” of it. “This doesn’t sound like someone who is watching every last dollar,” O’Brien said, “and I don’t think it’s any surprise that Peter Massaro ended up running on Nancy’s ticket.”
Mayor O’Brien is also pointing out Rossi’s support for a large raise to the city’s former Finance Director amidst a fiscal crisis back in 2008.
“The city had just been informed that the deficit had increased to $23.9 million and Nancy fought to give John Picard’s Finance Director a $24,000 raise in a single year,” O’Brien said. “Does that sound like smart financial decision-making to anyone?”
The raise increased the Finance Director’s salary to $140,000 a year.
“These things just go to prove that Nancy Rossi is not the financial genius she claims to be. Combined with the fact that she has staunchly opposed efforts to eliminate the General Fund deficit, we have overwhelming proof that Nancy is part of the problem, not the solution,” he said.
Rossi countered, saying the mayor has some of his facts wrong.
“Mayor O’Brien, to no one’s surprise, has his facts wrong, again! When it comes to the purchase of the Fire truck for Allingtown all of the FEMA guidelines were followed. Former Chief Peter Massaro shopped the truck to eight different vendors; the department received quotations and proceeded to interview companies. The department made the recommendation to the City Council and it was approved according to the city’s purchasing ordinance. They purchased the fire truck that best fit the public safety requirements for the Allingtown district. There was never a retroactive approval of the purchase, the truck was not purchased prior to the City Council approval,” she said.
She said she was in support of the new truck and so were supporters of Mayor O’Brien
“The vote was 10-1 in favor,” she said.
As far as the recasting of the Director of Finance’s salary, she said she wasn’t the only one who voted for it.
“I was on the City Council with Ed O’Brien when the finance director’s increase was proposed and approved. Our decision made the position competitive with other municipalities.
She said his charges come up short and are attempt to confuse the voters, something she said he attempted during the primary in September.
“It is time for a change and I believe I am the most qualified person for the job,” she said.