Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria finds himself in the eye of a storm, facing a series of questions about the use of city funds. These inquiries could potentially untangle the line separating the public interest from his personal benefit, as reported by NBC Boston and the Boston Globe.
The issue took flight after a report released in February found DeMaria was paid $180,000 above his due in "longevity pay" over several years, which the mayor has contested calling the inspector general's conclusions "flawed," his stance brings to the table the broader implications of accountability when officials handle taxpayer dollars, it's said in the state inspector general's investigation and subsequent council actions. The city council seems to sharpen its gaze, turning to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission to investigate the mayor's law firm's billing that includes a $33,000 payment for speaking on his behalf at a hearing earlier this month and nearly $45,000 for unclear "additional work" over the past two years.
In a move that could unspool further threads of inquiry, the council also called DeMaria into question regarding the payments to Regan Communications, a PR firm working for both the city and the mayor, a connection that was examined in detail by the Boston Globe, the firm's various payments over the years ranged from crisis management fees to promoting the city's development, which included creating a website originally funded by a coronavirus relief fund until the state deemed it ineligible.
