Springfield councilor not only one hit by abrupt firing at New North Citizens Council

SPRINGFIELD — City Councilor Maria Perez was not the only casualty of abrupt firings from the New North Citizens Council last week.

As she was escorted out of the building July 21, Perez had a message for a close colleague.

"You're next," she told Ivelisse Gonzalez, according to Gonzalez. "She saw the envelope with my name on it that contained my termination letter sitting on the desk of the executive director.

Perez was right. Several minutes later, Gonzalez was summoned to the executive suite and informed she was out of work.

Her termination letter cited a review of her computer hard drive, which uncovered a "political file" and several things "unrelated to your job," the letter, a copy of which was provided to The Republican, reads.

"I don't even know what I did, or what I'm being accused of," Gonzalez said during an interview Monday — two days after members broke the news that Perez had been fired. "They told me to look at page 16 of the employee handbook that covers ethical violations."

The letter was signed by Maria Ligus, executive director of the nonprofit, which serves the poor, particularly in the heavily Latino North End.

"NNCC prohibits individualized partisan political activities inside our facilities during working hours by employees, consultants, volunteers and paid staff," the letter read, in part.

Perez and Gonzalez's firings come as a political contest nears. Sitting on the board of directors of the council is Perez's opponent in the coming City Council race, Joesiah Gonzalez, a School Committee member who in January announced he planned to challenge his mentor in the election.

Joesiah Gonzalez gave a brief statement to a reporter Sunday. "I'll pray for Maria and her family," he said, adding that he was speaking as an elected official and a candidate, not as a board member.

Ligus could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

When interviewed Sunday, board Secretary Efrain "Jesse" Vazquez Jr. was quick to point out that the board only oversees Ligus and that the executive director manages all other employees. The board nonetheless came out with a statement Saturday night, vaguely referencing "embezzlement," which is not consistent with language in Perez's termination letter.

Perez was adamant in an interview Monday that the accusation is false.

"I have never stolen a dime from that board, or our community," Perez said. "I have devoted my life to that job and my community.

She repeatedly referred to "backroom politics."

On Monday, state Sen. Carlos Gonzalez said he has known Perez for years and had "witnessed her steadfast commitment to advocating for the rights of underprivileged communities, especially in the North End. Throughout this time, I have always witnessed her to consistently upheld ethical standards."

The lawmaker said that while he did not have all the details regarding the council's decision to fire Perez, he said she should have been given any "appropriate warnings about any behaviors that could jeopardize her long and commendable career."

Perez was groomed for her former job as director of housing, overseeing programs whose mission was to help people diagnosed with AIDS find homes, along with assisting members of other marginalized groups. Ivelisse Gonzalez became a housing specialist upon her hire in 2023.

Perez, meanwhile, had been working at the council for 43 years. In the earliest years, she worked for Barbara Rivera, among the founders of the North End community group.

According to financial statements the New North Citizens Council filed with the state in 2024, the agency operated on a yearly budget of roughly $11 million, with nearly all of its operating funds coming from grants and contributions, with the main source being the state and federal government.

Springfield's housing director, Gerry McCafferty, said Monday that a 2024 review of Perez's housing programs yielded no negative findings.

A Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS grant was provided to the agency worth $218,135 and supplemented with nearly $38,000 in funds the council had left over from the previous years.

The council also received $138,297 in an Emergency Services grant, which was to be spent over two years. Both amounts were Housing and Urban Development grants administered by the city, according to McCafferty and documents.

"We perform annual monitoring visits for the (two) grants, in which we do an on-site visit and audit a selection of program and financial files. There were no findings in their most recent monitoring, which took place in spring 2024," McCafferty said.

Perez's firing was announced in a letter from the New North Citizens Council board of directors and released on Saturday night. It was signed by Vazquez, the board clerk.

In it, the board said it had contacted the "Attorney General's Ethics Commission" about Perez.

The Ethics Commission cannot confirm or deny any investigation due to a state statute, spokesman Gerry Tuoti said Monday.

A spokesperson for the state Attorney General's office said no complaint was before that office and they have no association with the Ethics Commission.

Gonzalez, the state senator, said he respects the council board and executive director.

"I hope moving forward, on behalf of the community, all parties can engage in dialogue, avoiding emotions and innuendo that would harm individuals' reputations," Gonzalez said.

Read the original article on MassLive .