New London Housing Authority suspends finance manager

New London — The New London Housing Authority has suspended its finance and human assets supervisor and plans an inside investigation into housing authority funds.

Members of the housing authority’s board of commissioners had been knowledgeable of the suspension of Patty DiGioia-Evrett in a confidential e mail obtained by The Day. The suspension was prompted by the revelation on Monday that DiGioia-Evrett is the main focus of an investigation into the alleged misuse use of bank cards in her capability as a volunteer board member on the Montville Housing Authority.

State police are investigating whether or not DiGioia-Evrett and one other former board member, Mike Brower, misused Montville Housing Authority funds for private purchases at locations like Amazon, Walmart and BJ’s Wholesale Membership. DiGioia-Evrett resigned as a board member of the Montville Housing Authority final month.

Kolisha Kendron, government director of the New London Housing Authority, mentioned in her e mail to commissioners that DiGioia-Evrett was positioned on unpaid administrative depart with out entry to New London Housing Authority data, software program, bank cards or financial institution accounts. The housing authority is reviewing bank card statements and plans an audit to report on any findings and inside controls to stop fraud, the e-mail reads.

The New London Housing Authority owns and manages three state-subsidized housing complexes devoted to seniors and folks with disabilities: George Washington Carver Residences, Gordon Court docket and Riozzi Court docket. It additionally operates the federally sponsored Williams Park Residences at 127 Hempstead St.

Kendron, reached by telephone Wednesday, confirmed an ongoing investigation however declined to touch upon the standing of DiGioia-Evrett, who has labored with the housing authority for the previous six years. She mentioned the investigation was a measure being taken to guard the pursuits of the housing authority and its tenants.

Kendron was employed in 2018 when the New London Housing Authority contracted with Imagineers LLC for property administration companies. Kendron and Matthew Anderson, director of rental administration for Imagineers, each expressed disappointment within the leak of the confidential e mail discussing personnel points. Anderson mentioned he would quickly be dealing with government director duties whereas Kendron is out on maternity depart.

Candace Devendittis, chairwoman of the authority’s board of commissioners, declined to touch upon what the fee considers to be a personnel difficulty.

Commissioner Nancy Cole, reached by telephone Thursday, declined to debate the personnel difficulty involving DiGioia-Evrett however mentioned she was underneath the impression DiGioia-Evrett was in line to deal with duties of the manager director when Kendron was on depart.

She additionally mentioned she has twice requested a particular assembly of the five-member board of commissioners to debate the scenario “as a result of I assumed this was an pressing sufficient matter that the board, in a collegial sense, might take part in crafting a path ahead.”

“I simply thought that collectively the board ought to come collectively and talk about this,” Cole mentioned. “The rationale I wished a gathering was to counsel we instantly pursue an impartial forensic audit of our funds.”

She mentioned her preliminary requests for an impartial audit had been rejected.

Mayor Michael Passero mentioned he had been briefed on the scenario however thought-about it a personnel difficulty and declined to remark additional.

g.smith@theday.com