Mark Assini

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

A fair question. Great job Gino.

[Gino Fanelli @GinoFanelli]

In April, I reported about the internal issues in ARPA. It was clear the county was woefully short of the oversight needed for the program. The question that was asked then, and still now, is how much of this was incompetence, and how much was malice? https://t.co/ZsEWIZ6uGm

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

Monroe County Office of Public Integrity calls out the Bello Administration for its part in the fleecing of Federal Tax $ under the ARPA program.

Neighborhood Collaborative Project is dead; five orgs reported to AG’s Office https://t.co/T6vxOQvYB2

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

@GinoFanelli Congrats and thank you for being a good source of information for our community. Cheers!

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

The latest Monroe County ARPA report shows initial funds spent for Bring Back Monroe. Given the fraud, waste and abuse to date it may be necessary for legislators to have regular status reviews. It is 144 million in tax dollars so its worth the scrutiny.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

Lyell Avenue Business Association took money from ARPA (via Monroe County), New York State, RACF and Shore Foundation. Checked on current board structure & finances. No tax returns filed for years. Why? IRS filings show they officially ceased operations in 2010. Wow!

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

@QueegRides Lots more to come. This is far from over.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

@rachbarnhart Thank you Legislator Barnhart!

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

Truly a great event. Many thanks to all involved.

[Bob Lonsberry @BobLonsberry]

Thank you @fleetfeetroc and @YJR_98 for another great @FlowerCityHalf! And thank you Rochester Fire Department @RFDPIO1 for your help and friendship.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

Big Lebowski party at the homestead today. It’s the same style sweater Jeff Bridges wore in the movie The Big Lebowski and my wife knitted for me. I’m greeting guests to the sound of the Tumbling Tumbleweeds.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

At the Flower City Challenge. Sunny and fun. Rocking with Uptown Groove. Great day in the Roc!

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

Monroe->Luxury vehicles & bldg bought with ARPA $, $1/4 million missing, $7.2 million single source purchase w/o competition, 4 profit consultants write their own contracts, $ values & awarded w/o competition. Albany probe starts bc of a proposed $25K grant. In Monroe BUPKIS!
😲

[Queeg Rides Again ❎ @QueegRides]

Rut Roh Scooby! 😂🤣Albany County district attorney probes county's #ARPA grant process - David Soares' office issued a subpoena to a county contractor who vetted applications. https://t.co/IzTcOla4Xl

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

Waste, fraud and abuse with ARPA money entrusted to the County? Looks like it. Bello cancelled interviews with @GinoFanelli , gave sanitized written answers & avoided some altogether. Don’t have to be a Law&Order fan to know the County is following advice of Counsel. Stay tuned!

[Rachel Barnhart @rachbarnhart]

My letter to the @FBI, @USAttorneys and @USTreasury about ARPA is 20+ pages at this point. Hoping to finish tonight. Some new stuff, but the goal is to make case for them to investigate whether there was federal program fraud. It's a tough read.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

@QueegRides Great catch. Thanks. I’ll add that to the chart.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

@AcctProgressive Wow……

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

Reviewed the County’s latest document dump. You are not wrong. Nothing in the docs explains why 3 for profit sub-recipients were allowed to write their own RFP enriching themselves by $1.992 million with no competition. The law aside for a second…is that ethical?

[Rachel Barnhart @rachbarnhart]

Remember when Monroe County gave rigged contracts to connected vendors for phone, security & communications systems?

The LDC scandal.

"We were always assured there was no problem, but it didn't turn out that way." - Dem minority Leader Cynthia Kaleh.

NCP has shades of LDC.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

(3 of 3) 4. Is the current structure with the 3 for profits in the NCP ok to go forward with no competition. What law specifically allows this? 5. Who is trying to recover the missing money. Many more questions but for another day…

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

(1 of 3)The county has shut down on providing meaningful answers on the ARPA scandal. But here are the questions 1. What was the official justification of awarding a non competitive contract to CRC. What was the County Attorney’s opinion on such a contract under ARPA

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

(2 of 3) What is the opinion of the county attorney on an RFP being written by the 3 for profits which were enriched by $1.992 million with no competition under as it relates to ARPA rules. 3. Who recommended CRC as Fiscal Sponsor? Every agency? No one? How did this develop?

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

@AcctProgressive I know that he was picked as CEO but who officially made him CEO? The board was not active and didn’t meet according to Paradiso. I’ll look at the Bylaws. This is a very ugly situation. It will be the poster child for ARPA fraud.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

This does not necessarily rise to a violation of the law for the County’s selection of Starbridge. But it sure looks bad. The GOP had similar problems in the past. I wouldn’t want to have to explain this to the media. If they ever ask and I do say “IF”.

[Mark Assini @MarkAssini23]

@AcctProgressive Great question. Obviously something is going in with the investigation. The county has gone into no interviews, no comment (ask Gino Fanelli) and no insight & information. Can’t say I blame them though. This is serious.