The battle over funds between the Everett City Council and Mayor Carlo DeMaria has intensified, with the council recently passing several resolutions aimed at reclaiming monies they allege the mayor was not entitled to. In a unified show of distrust toward the mayor, the council issued a vote of no confidence in DeMaria following a report from the inspector general, which accused him of taking an unapproved $180,000 in bonus funds. Councilors are now seeking assistance from Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, as reported by WHDH.
The Inspector General's public letter, detailed by WCVB, highlighted a misuse of the city's mayoral longevity ordinance by DeMaria, who reportedly collected incremental payments annually instead of per full term served. This resulted in alleged overpayments from 2016 through 2021. Despite the city council's actions, DeMaria's administration has pushed back, labeling the allegations as baseless and questioning the foundations of the report.
Everett Councilor Stephanie Smith put the onus on the Attorney General's office, asserting that DeMaria had himself asked for higher scrutiny in a televised statement, saying, "AG Campbell, the ball is now in your court," as obtained by WHDH. The council has also brought in an independent auditing firm to scrutinize all payments to DeMaria since 2016 and has requested the cessation of using city funds for the mayor's legal defense.
Controversy aside, DeMaria insists he has acted within the confines of legality, with his Chief of Staff Erin Devaney claiming that the issue had already been probed by the United States Attorney’s Office with no subsequent action. As outlined by WCVB, Devaney further criticized the council, stating that the referral to the Attorney General could have been made by the council months prior, “at no cost to the taxpayers.” Everett city councilor Rob Van Campen underscored the importance of accountability in this matter, given that the funds in question come from the public coffers.
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