ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Monroe County Executive Adam Bello has released the findings of a forensic review that looks into the handling of the funds of the Community Resource Collaborative (CRC), the fiscal agent chosen by the Neighborhood Collaborative Project for grant funding under the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA.

What You Need To Know

  • Monroe County Executive Adam Bello released the findings of a forensic review involving ARPA funds 
  • "It's hard to assess whether ... it's mismanagement or fraud," county attorney said about the funds 
  • Heated moments between politicians during news conference Friday

“CRC was comingling multiple funding streams together into the same bank accounts, money from the ARPA grant along with money from other grants," said Bello.

At a news conference on Friday, Bello said he wanted to address the confusion and misinformation that he says is out there regarding the issue.

“It’s hard to assess based on the record whether it’s mismanagement or fraud because of all the money moving in so many different directions, it’s also then, there’s a question to be asked, is the fact the accounting records were such a mess, is that deliberate or is that negligent," said John Bringewatt, county attorney.

Earlier in the day, the county legislative caucuses were briefed on the report, but two legislators were not invited: Rachel Barnhart and Mercedes Vazquez Simmons. 

Barnhart, of Legislative District 17, who was not in attendance at the news conference, told Spectrum News 1, "to exclude us from briefings is frankly abhorrent, it’s deplorable and it shows extreme bad faith and it’s very disrespectful to the taxpayers of this community, particularly the ones in our district." 

“Well listen, I’ll address Rachel Barnhart," Bello later said at the news conference. "During my tenure as county executive, I have proven that I am willing to work with legislators of both parties. I have proven that. However, I am not interested though in meeting with legislators who are not acting in good faith. Legislator Barnhart has spread conspiracy theories. She's attacked numerous victims of what appear to be a crime of gross financial mismanagement and has accused them of criminal activity. She's personally attacked several of her legislative colleagues, and has accused them of conflicts of interest and has somehow made this discussion all about her."

Legislator Mercedes Vazquez Simmons, a Democrat representing District 22, attended the news conference. She interrupted, stating she “is an elected official."

Vazquez Simmons went on to say, “This is my district. It mostly impacts my district, yet I was excluded from any information. You deprived District 22, the poorest district in Monroe County, of information. Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you.” 

Bello says, however, the documents and information are now available to everyone online.

Barnhart responded in a statement, saying:

"This is what corruption looks like.

It looks like withholding documents from auditors and legislators.

It looks like excluding and personally attacking legislators demanding accountability and transparency.

It looks like deflection from the County’s responsibility to evaluate its own culpability in this alleged fraud.

I look forward to reviewing the additional documents that have been provided today by the Bello administration, but it’s clear there is still information missing that legislators demanded.

The only way we’ll get to the bottom of what happened is through a legislator-led inquiry."