DERBY — The City Board of Aldermen and Aldermen has reinstated Finance Director Agata Herasimowicz. But the city was in no rush for her to resume her duties.
The board reinstated Herasimowicz on June 29 during a sometimes contentious meeting. She has been on administrative leave since March due to allegations that she improperly spent city funds. But as late as July 6, she didn’t have a clear return date and was sending emails to city officials expressing an urgent need to return to work on city finances.
“For about a week, I’ve been emailing about a date to report to work,” she wrote to corporate counsel Vincent Marino. “I understand that the mayor and the corporation (representative) should consult on this matter. I haven’t (heard) from the mayor’s office yet. Having trouble starting a job in the office? I need to review the book and its current status as well as access to the GEM software. (It is) very important.”
In Marino’s reply, the next day, her return date is July 11.
“Please report to the mayor’s office at 9am to meet with me and the mayor,” he wrote.
Although Herasimowicz is now expected to return, it is unclear what kind of working relationship she will have with Mayor Rich Dziekan and Chief of Staff Walt Mayhew, who both pushed for her firing. Dziekan continued to lobby for her firing despite a report by accounting firm MahoneySabol that largely cleared her of wrongdoing.
The report concluded that her opting out of paying for police video equipment and hiring temporary workers before getting approval from the Appropriation and Taxation Board, while contrary to the city charter and inconsistent with best fiscal practices, was “reasonable” and “necessary” given the circumstances.
After reviewing MahoneySabol’s report, the board voted 8-1 to reinstate her, with only Alderman Charles Sampson siding with the mayor.
While Herasimowicz may return, it seems clear that her performance will be closely watched. In his email informing her of her return to work, Marino also wrote that he, Dziekan and Herasimowicz would use Monday’s meeting to “review the duties and responsibilities of the finance director under the Charter and regulations, answer any questions you may have related duties and responsibilities, and clarify expectations for compliance.”
He went on to say that the meeting will address “areas of improvement and priorities and goals for you and the Finance Department, including the development and implementation of financial policies, procedures and internal controls to ensure compliance with the City Charter and ordinances and promote best practices in City service . financial operations.”
Alderman and former Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto, one of Herasimowicz’s most vocal defenders during the reinstatement meeting, expressed gratitude that he will remain in the city and cited his qualifications.
“I think Agata is the best thing Derby has had,” Dugatto wrote in an email Thursday. “She has the credentials to qualify as Chief Fiscal Officer for the City of Derby, I trust her to lead Derby Finance with transparency and understanding.”
Without a permanent CFO, the city has had a difficult budget season, with city officials noting errors in Derby’s 2022-23 budget proposal.
Mayhew, who has taken over many of Herasimowicz’s jobs during her absence, said at the time that the budget in question was a draft, not a final version.
Mayhew did not respond to requests for comment on Herasimowicz’s return.
Dziekan, asked via text message about the working relationship between him and Herasimowicz, said only that I would meet with her on Monday with corporate counsel.
Senior Sarah Widomski said she is excited about Herasimowicz’s return.
“I’m looking forward to getting the finance office back on track after more than 4 months without a CFO,” she said. “I am convinced that by working together, the policies and procedures that are missing and have been in place for a long time in our city will be implemented. (The Board) undertakes that it will be done in a transparent manner. Politics must be kept out of the finance office.”
Sampson, the lone alderman who voted against reinstating Herasimowicz, said he was indifferent to her return.
“I have no feelings one way or the other,” he said. “As I said during the meeting, she was brought in there to fix problems that were found to be wrong, not to continue this practice because it is incorrect in financial practice and against the city charter.”
But he hopes she can improve the city’s finances.
“I hope she continues to move the city’s finance department in the right direction and not continue the status quo that has led to many complex issues over the decades,” Sampson said.
