Boston council committee holds confirmation hearing for three audit-committee nominees

The Boston City Council Post Audit Committee on Feb. 12 held a virtual confirmation hearing on three items: the nominations of Samantha Reamer and Janet Peguero and the reappointment of Lawrence DeCara to the five-member audit committee. No formal votes were taken; the chair said confirmations would be considered at the committee's Wednesday meeting.

The hearing focused on nominees' qualifications and the audit committee's role in ensuring the city's accounting and financial reporting are transparent and accurate. Janet Peguero, introduced as a Hyde Park business owner, told the committee she owns All Time Service, a commercial and residential cleaning company, and said she would focus on producing "good reports that are clear and that are useful for everybody." Peguero said property taxes are among the city's biggest financial risks.

Samantha Reamer, identified as a nominee who lives in Jamaica Plain and currently serves as a senior director at a national nonprofit and previously as finance director for Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, described her experience overseeing audits and compliance and said she would bring "the skills and ... dedication" needed "to ensure that we are good stewards of public money." Reamer told the committee she would be willing to step forward and flag improprieties, including if they involved elected officials: "Transparency is key," she said when asked whether she would issue a report that could reflect poorly on a sitting mayor or councilor.

Lawrence DeCara, introduced by the committee as a long-serving audit committee member and former city councilor, summarized the panel's history and current standing. DeCara said the city now has audited financial statements of high quality and a strong bond rating and described the committee's established practice of allowing external auditors to meet with the committee without city management present if needed. He warned the primary fiscal risks he sees are cuts to federal funding, changes in downtown commercial property values and shifts in the property tax base, all of which could force difficult budget choices: "If, hypothetically, Title I was clobbered, that's a big sucker punch to the school department," DeCara said.

Committee members asked nominees about conflicts of interest, willingness to call out impropriety and how the audit committee might handle departmental noncooperation. DeCara recounted a past standoff with the Boston Public Health Commission in which the committee insisted on access to financial records and said the commission complied after the committee threatened to go directly to the mayor. Several councilors emphasized continued vigilance against financial surprises and the need to keep lines of communication open between the audit committee, the city auditor's office and outside auditors.

The committee chair closed the hearing after confirming there were no public-testimony sign-ups. The three dockets listed at the opening of the hearing were docket 0106 (confirmation of Samantha Reamer), docket 0107 (confirmation of Janet Peguero) and docket 0462 (reappointment of Lawrence DeCara). The chair said formal votes on the nominations would be held on Wednesday.

Votes and formal actions were not recorded during the hearing itself; committee members indicated they expected to take final action at the next meeting.

For reference, the hearing notice listed procedures for remote participation, including that individuals who signed up for public testimony would be called in order and given two minutes to speak, and provided an email (ccc.gata@boston.gov) for written comments to be made part of the public record.