'We don't need an auditor' — Brockton councilor at-large candidates spar over money
BROCKTON — Money took center stage Wednesday at the Brockton NAACP debate for the City Council's four at-large seats up for grabs in the November election.
As fallout continues from Brockton Schools' overspending scandal, candidate Jamal Brathwaite touted his experience as an accountant and auditor.
"Right now what Brockton needs most is an auditor," Brathwaite said.
Candidate Steve Hooke attacked.
"We don't need an auditor. We need somebody who represents the city residents as a city councilor. We certainly don't need an auditor that overdrafted his OCPF account half a dozen times," said Hooke, referring to the state board that oversees campaign finance rules.
The audience of about 50 at West Middle School gasped and some boos rang out.
After the debate, Brathwaite said that his account with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance is in good standing. State records show that OCPF auditor Caroline Paras asked Brathwaite's campaign to clarify seven deposits and expenditures as part of routine reviews.
Hooke, a 30-year municipal employee who for the last nine years has run the Brockton Emergency Management Agency, sought to portray himself as a department head with a steady hand. While the BEMA budget is tiny — $120,832 in the current budget year — Hooke also runs Holbrook's regional emergency dispatch center, which serves six towns and has a multi-million dollar budget.
"I can't spend one penny over my budget without authorization," Hooke said to a question about Brockton Schools' $14.4 million deficit from fiscal year 2023. "So I think we need to start there and see who has that authority to authorize overspending of the budget."
Winners and losers Brockton preliminary election results in. Here's who'll be facing off in November.
No incumbents attended debate
On Nov. 7, voters will choose which four of eight candidates gets or keeps an at-large seat. These elected positions represent the whole city instead of a particular ward.
Only four candidates, all challengers, attended the NAACP debate: Brathwaite, Hooke, Cynthia D. McCall-Hodges and Jean Bradley Derenoncourt. No incumbents came.
Phyllis Ellis, president of Brockton's NAACP, said some told her they would be out of town and one was having surgery.
"I think it was great tonight, all the candidates answered the questions," Ellis said after the debate. "My only drawback was that the incumbents were not here. It's an election year and the community needs to hear and see all the candidates."
Moderators Steven Abrams and Shahara Jaghoo asked candidates about the deficit scandal and whether the city should buy the old fairgrounds amid more general questions about affordable housing, public safety and economic development.
Is it a good deal? City floats plan to pay for $55 million purchase of fairgrounds
Buy Brockton fairgrounds? Not so fast
The panelists pressed candidates to say yes or no to a plan for the city to pay the Carney family $55 million to buy 65 acres where the Brockton Fair took place for more than a century.
All four attendees said that while they are open to Brockton's acquiring the fairgrounds, they want to see more details and they want the deficit taken care of first.
"I feel that Chris and George Carney will give the city a good price on it," McCall-Hodges said. "But first, I think before purchasing anything we should talk about and try to clarify the $14 million deficit that is going on."
Derenoncourt is asking voters to return him to the City Council after he served one term in 2018-2020.
"If the city of Brockton finds a good deal, I'll be one of the first ones to say yes," said the former legislative aide to Sen. Michael Brady, D-Brockton. "And if it's a bad deal, I'll be one of the first ones to say no."
Brathwaite questioned the amount and timing of Mayor Robert F. Sullivan's offer.
"Why would the mayor enter into a memorandum of agreement to buy the land for $55 million when the one and only appraisal that was obtained has it valued at $49.5 million?" Brathwaite said. "So why would he offer 10% over the appraisal that was received?"
Brathwaite also asked why three appraisals weren't done, with the offer price based on the median of the three. He also said it isn't clear if Sullivan made the offer before or after the appraisal because the agreement is not dated.
Hooke echoed McCall-Hodges' position.
"We're not purchasing anything until we figure out how we're going to make up $14.4 million," Hooke said, "so we're not laying off school teachers again, and we're not laying off city workers."
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Who got the most votes last round?
In the Sept. 19 preliminary election, Brockton voters pruned nine candidates for city councilor at-large down to eight. Here they are, listed by number of votes. The top four in the Nov. 7 general election will take or retain seats.
Jean Bradley Derenoncourt, 2,156
Winthrop H. Farwell (incumbent), 2,021
Moises M. Rodrigues (incumbent), 1,974
David C. Teixeira (incumbent) 1,652
Stephan A. Hooke Jr., 1,336
Jamal Brathwaite, 1,012
Cynthia D. McCall-Hodges, 965
Alix Arthur Gayaud, 466
Jed Hresko, 427
Source: City of Brockton unofficial election results
Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @HelmsNews.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton NAACP debate pushes City Council candidates on budget
