City Asked To Provide COVID-19 Spending Reports

MELROSE, MA — A city councilor is formally requesting the city provide an update on how it has spent federal aid dollars during the coronavirus pandemic.

Councilor Leila Migliorelli's order calls for reports on how much CARES Act money has been received and how it has and will be spent, with quarterly reports going forward. The order is expected to be sent to committee Monday night.

"Unlike the rest of the budget where we have an approval process over expenditures, we don't have an approval process over the CARES Act," Migliorelli told Patch. "And given the environment we're in, transparency is huge."

Migliorelli said she could ask for the information directly, but legislative action will make it readily available to the public. It's a way for the City Council — and the public — to make sure the federal money is going to the right places.

"I just want to think forward and think it'll be a good piece of information for all of us to have," Migliorelli said.

Patch reported in June the city submitted $470,355.62 in coronavirus-related expenditures for reimbursement by the federal government. The largest expenses were $174,655.91 for personal protective equipment, $128,974.55 for telework infrastructure and $120,871.14 for staffing costs.

Melrose Emergency Management Director Allan Alpert told Patch at the time that, if the city handles reimbursement right, it could get through the year without taking a hit on many additional expenses.