by Cindy Goldstein -
An Ethics Board (EB) decision regarding former Trustee Manny Rawlings and his involvement with the Hunter Tier project was recently posted to the Village website and the result was predictable. Rawlings was found to have violated the Village of Mamaroneck Ethics Code when he continued his involvement with the project despite having been advised by the EB to recuse. See Decision HERE.
The posted documents include an eight page decision dated December 18, 2024 along with various backup materials that outline the facts and rationale of the finding.
Rawlings, now out of office as he did not run for re-election in November, ran afoul of the Ethics Code when he persisted in participating in the evaluation of two proposals received by the Village in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP) to develop affordable housing at the Hunter Tier Parking Lot. One of the proposers was Westhab, a non-profit developer of affordable housing in Westchester County. Westhab describes itself as a “strategic partner” of the Washingtonville Housing Alliance (WHA) – a Village of Mamaroneck-based affordable housing non-profit.
As reported on previously in The Mamaroneck Observer (see articles HERE and HERE), the Ethics Board issued an Advisory Opinion on March 5, 2024 after delving into the facts surrounding the non-payment of rent for a unit owned by the WHA:
The Ethics Board found, based on its review of the court file and public records, and representations made by counsel to the WHA, that Trustee Rawlings does not owe money to the WHA. However, because the WHA brought a Petition of Nonpayment against Trustee Rawlings’s mother, and obtained an order of eviction, his participation in the selection process for a developer, in which the WHA is a candidate, would create an appearance of impropriety under Code of Ethics section 21- 4 C (1).
Last month’s Ethics Board decision references the Advisory Opinion by saying:
Mr. Rawlings was given clear and unambiguous advance notice that his conduct would be considered a violation of the Code of Ethics. The Ethics Board, therefore, finds that Mr. Rawlings, acting as a trustee of the Village, violated the Code of Ethics.
Although he was found to have violated the Code of Ethics, the EB did not assess any monetary fine.
Had Rawlings recused from the Hunter Tier matter it is expected the Board of Trustees would have deadlocked on any votes 2:2 as it was clear that now former Trustees Lou Young and Leilani Yizar-Red would approve the project with Trustee Nora Lucas and Mayor Sharon Torres voting against it. Lucas and Torres made it clear that while both were in favor of affordable housing the Hunter Tier process was fatally flawed. Both the outside consultant hired to evaluate the proposals, and the Village Attorney agreed. See Article HERE.
An examination of the 2023 tax returns for the WHA shows a write-off for “bad debt expense” in the amount of $23,116. See HERE. While we don’t know for certain if this was the back rent related to the Rawlings’ apartment it is roughly the amount owed to the WHA. If it is for the same issue then it indicates that the WHA will not pursue collecting the rent that’s owed to them – a somewhat unusual step for a non-profit. The Ethics Board found that there was no judgment outstanding against Rawlings nor had any collection case been brought.
