Mount Vernon council appoints Constance "Jerry" Post to economic development task force over public objections

The Mount Vernon City Council voted to appoint Constance "Jerry" Post to the Mount Vernon Economic Development Task Force for a two-year term effective Feb. 26, 2025, to Feb. 25, 2027, by a roll-call vote of three in favor and one opposed.

Public commenter Chris McDonough opened the discussion by reading a Nov. 30 press release attributed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York that said Post and a co-defendant were found guilty in federal court on charges tied to diversion of more than $1.2 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds. McDonough asked why the resolution to appoint Post (agenda item 12) was back on the council agenda so quickly and whether the matter had been discussed in executive session, saying, “Given the financial damage she’s done to our city, I'm struggling to understand why this resolution is even being considered.”

Council members who supported the appointment said Post’s background and institutional knowledge outweighed concerns raised in public comment. Councilwoman Gleason said she believes in second chances and called Post’s experience “very, very important here to the city of Mount Vernon.” Councilman Thompson said he supports giving people opportunities to serve after they have made changes in their lives. Council President Daniel Brown told the chamber the task force position is advisory and that Post would not have contract-awarding authority.

Councilman Boxhill cast the lone recorded opposing vote. During the roll call he said, “Can I respectfully say no?” The official roll call recorded Boxhill as voting no and Gleason, Thompson and Brown as voting aye.

The resolution appointing Post was presented as an add-on from the city clerk’s office and was moved and seconded during the legislative agenda; no individual mover or seconder was named on the record for the motion on item 12.

The public comment and some council remarks questioned whether the item’s movement on and off the agenda and any discussion in executive session had been transparent. McDonough said the item went from “on the agenda to held, to called for, to back on the agenda without any explanation,” and asked the council to explain why it was not held for two more weeks so Boxhill could reflect on the matter. That description of the sequence and of executive-session discussion was presented by McDonough as his account of events; council members did not confirm the transcript of those prior meeting procedures on the record during the Feb. 26 meeting.

The council’s public record for the item shows the appointment will run through Feb. 25, 2027. The task force is advisory; council members emphasized the appointee does not have authority to award contracts or control contract decisions.

Votes at a glance: Item 12 — Resolution appointing Constance "Jerry" Post to the Mount Vernon Economic Development Task Force: Aye — Councilwoman Gleason; Aye — Councilman Thompson; Aye — Council President Brown; No — Councilman Boxhill. Outcome: approved.

The council concluded the legislative agenda and proceeded to other items after the vote.