Earl Jeter Resigns as City Auditor to Move to Private CPA Practice; Mayor Purzycki Appoints Jeter to the WHA Board of Commissioners
Tamara Thompson Will Serve as Acting City Auditor
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki today announced the appointment of Earl Jeter, former City Auditor and a certified public accountant (CPA), as a Commissioner of the Board of the Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA). Jeter has resigned as City auditor effective immediately in order to return to private CPA practice in the community.
Jeter will fill the last of seven WHA Commissioner seats that are appointed by the Mayor, who concluded after reviewing a recent federal audit that new leadership was needed at the WHA which is the largest direct provider of affordable housing in Delaware.
Jeter was appointed as Wilmington’s Auditor in 2013 by former Mayor Dennis P. Williams and was confirmed by City Council. The Auditor serves both the Executive and Legislative branches of city government. Mayor Purzycki has appointed Assistant City Auditor Tamara Thompson as Acting Auditor until he makes a decision about a permanent appointment which he will send to Council for approval.
“Earl Jeter is a tremendously talented individual and I am pleased that he has agreed to remain in public service even as he moves back to private practice,” said Mayor Purzycki. “Earl has a love for our City and its people and he demonstrates that by giving back to the community in many ways.” The Mayor said the addition of a CPA to the WHA Board will strengthen it even more than it has been in recent weeks with the addition of eight new Commissioners and the retention of one additional Commissioner from the previous board make-up.
In February, New Castle County Executive Meyer appointed Timothy Crawl-Bey to the board and Crawl-Bey has since been chosen by the board as its Chair. Crawl-Bey is the former Director
of Wilmington’s Real Estate and Housing Department and owner of Timothy Crawl-Bey & Associates, a real estate development and consulting entity.
Mayor Purzycki’s recent appointees to the board include Betty Lewis, a WHA resident who has lived at the WHA’s Herlihy Apartments for more than 30 years; Matthew Heckles, former Director of Finance, Policy and Planning for the Delaware State Housing Authority who is currently serving as the Assistant Secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development; Steve Martin, Executive Director of the non-profit Wilmington Housing Partnership (WHP) which works with local non-profit and private entities to acquire, rehabilitate, demolish and construct quality new affordable housing for homeownership; Steven Washington, a lifelong City resident with a master’s degree in education who has worked in the education field for 26 years; James Spadola, a former police officer with the City of Newark who was recently named Development Director for Zip Code Wilmington, a locally-based computer coding school; and Ben Cohen, an Information Technology Manager with the Wilmington law firm of Richards, Layton and Finger, who is the immediate past President of the Midtown Brandywine Neighbors Association.
Governor John Carney retained WHA Commissioner Vincent White, who was originally appointed by former Governor Jack Markell. White is a local realtor and advocate for tenant rights and fair housing policies.
Source: City Of Wilmington