Former New Rochelle District 3 Council Member Bea Brown Failed to Return Funds Raised to Benefit New Rochelle Citizen Corps

As coordinator of the the New Rochelle Citizen Corps, a group organized in the wake of the 9-11 attacks to better coordinate community response to emergencies, former District 3 Council Member Beuenia “Bea” Brown failed to account for over $2,000 in cash, raffle tickets and event tickets for an NRCC fundraiser in 2005. After months of repeated requests — and then demands — that she turn over the money or provide a detailed accounting Brown quit her job coordinating the NRCC and ignored further calls and letters. When officers of the NRCC sought to press charges for embezzlement against Brown they spoke with Omar Small, Assistant to the City Manager Chuck Strome. Small refused to take action saying “we’re not pursing that”, according a knowledgeable source.

A review of NRCC records made available to Talk of the Sound show that under Brown’s watch the organization distributed $1,860 in raffle tickets and sold $200 worth of tickets at the door to a fundraiser held in April 2005 at the New Rochelle Community Center at 95 Lincoln Avenue. There are no records indicating that Brown turned in any of the money, no receipts showing she spent the money on event-related costs and no evidence that the proceeds were used to purchase emergency supplies as intended by the event organizers.

Asked to comment on the allegations Brown denied any wrongdoing and told Talk of the Sound that all of the money she collected went to the people who won the raffle. Informed that the records indicated there were no cash prizes connected with the raffle, Brown demanded to know who would make such allegations. Informed that Talk of the Sound does not provide information on sources declined to respond to further questions. She did not respond to further phone calls.

Per his standing policy, City Manager Charles Strome did not return an email seeking comment.

In April 2005, the New Rochelle Citizen Corps organized a fundraiser to purchase 100 cots and 200 blankets as emergency supplies to stock a Red Cross vehicle stationed in New Rochelle as part of a revised emergency response plan following the 9-11 attacks. Tickets were sold to the event at the New Rochelle Community Center. The primary means of fundraising was the raffle which offered four prizes: a 27” inch color TV, a DVD player, an iPod and a Dinner for Two at a restaurant. All of the prizes were donated by NRCC members except the Dinner for Two prize which was purchased for $150. There were no cash prizes for the raffle but there was a 50/50 raffle where a small number of tickets were sold at the event which was attended by about 20 people. This money is also missing and unaccounted for. Costs for the event include hiring a DJ for $150 and refreshments for $77.69 and custodial services for $30.00. Brown reported that she paid all of the costs but failed to provide any receipts.

Records indicate that a May 2006 NRCC meeting, Brown reported that the event took in $1,226 and had costs of $407.69 for a net profit of $817.31. Other smaller costs, not accounted for, were paid by members but no members were reimbursed by Brown.

Brown did not open a bank account for the New Rochelle Citizen Corps and beyond minutes from meetings and a rough accounting from the fundraiser, there are few records. The limited number of records that do exist do not indicate Brown ever turned in the cash she collected or purchased any cots or blankets, the primary purpose of the fundraiser.

Overall, $1,860 worth of raffled tickets were distributed with Brown taking more than half of them. Of the 200 raffle tickets she took, each worth $5.00 a piece, she returned just 26 — without turning in the $130 she collected. She failed to return the remaining 174 raffle tickets worth $870. Of the 26 tickets she did return — without the $130 — all of them were purchased by just two individuals. Brown personally conducted the drawing and pulled the name of the grand prize winner which was one of the two people that had purchased tickets from Brown.

Bea Brown was the subject of a recent Journal News article in which it was disclosed that she was receiving lavish life-time health insurance benefits reserved for two-term members of City Council despite having only served out 4 years and 3 months which includes the last 3 months of the unexpired term of Rhoda Quash who died in office. In June, Hannan Adley, formerly of the Journal News, wrote how Retired or Working, Part-Time City Council Members, Family and Spouses Get Free, Full-Time Taxpayer-Funded Health Insurance.

Sources familiar with the matter say that Brown was given the grant-funded position running the New Rochelle Citizen Corps to allow her to extend her time working for the City past the five year mark. Once she passed the five year mark, the City credited her for having served five years. At that point, Brown quit. The New Rochelle Citizen Corps dissolved less than a year later.

Critics have contended that Democrats created a sham position to “reward” Brown even though she did not serve on Council for the required five years. As Democrats controlled the City Council 6-1, there was no effective means of countering the appointment or the resulting extension of tens of thousands of benefits which some contend she obtained by improper, legalistic contortions intended to subvert the true purpose of the relevant portion of the City Code — to compensate members of City Council who serve two or more terms. White Plains, which has a similar law, requires ten years on Council to obtain lifetime benefits.

The New Rochelle Citizen Corps was founded in September of 2004 but discontinued operation in 2006. The Citizen Corp mission was to encourage personal responsibility, volunteerism, and community preparedness and awareness through outreach education, and training. Specific activities included promoting a Neighborhood Watch Program; galvanizing community support for Citizen Corp Programs including Neighborhood Watch, Fire Prevention and Hazardous Mitigation Education and recruiting residents to receive additional training, including CERT to develop a Shelter Team for assistance during an emergency shelter operation with a goal of having 25 New Rochelle Residents CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) trained.

DISCLAIMER: By unofficial policy directive, City Manager Charles Strome has let it be known that City workers are not to co-operate with Talk of the Sound on stories beyond what is absolutely, affirmatively required by law such as FOIL requests. The exception being the New Rochelle Police Department which has regularly responded in a courteous and respectful manner to requests for information from Talk of the Sound. Talk of the Sound makes a reasonable effort to get official, on-the-record comment from City officials but this is made all but impossible due to City policy.