UPDATED: Village's Accountant Appointed County Auditor

[Editor's Note: Updated at 5:10 p.m. on Feb. 28]

County Executive Kathe Donovan says the appointment of Ridgewood's CPA Louis Mai as County Auditor will make dollars and sense.

"Lou Mai has the experience, credentials and integrity that we are looking for in our County Auditor,” Donovan said in a release.

“After reviewing all the resumes that we received, we are confident that Lou Mai will contribute significantly as we reduce spending and maximize service by bringing a fresh view to the County’s auditing process.”

Mai, a St. Peter's College graduate with his own accounting firm based in Pompton Plains, is the village CPA, having performed the past few annual audits as well as defending the village against legal action from Wyckoff over what the neighboring town calls crafty accounting and illegal funneling of money from Ridgewood Water.

The township, along with Midland Park and Glen Rock, in September of 2010 charging that the Village of Ridgewood had been taking money collected from ratepayers in Wyckoff, Midland Park and Glen Rock and redirecting funds to other municipal budgets. The village has called the accusations "bombastic" but "without merit." 

He also serves as a commissioner of the NJ Water Supply Authority where he chairs as the finance and capital committees.

Mai, in the release sent by the Donovan administration on Thursday night, said he was "pleased" to have been appointed to the county's top accounting position. 

“We look forward to providing quality services to the people of Bergen County and working with the County Executive and Freeholder Board,” he said.

Village Manager Ken Gabbert, who's also the Republican mayor of Saddle River, praised the Donovan administration for the appointment.

"County Executive Donovan has made an excellent selection that is in keeping with her goal to increase accountability in County Government," he said on Monday via e-mail. 

Locally, Gabbert doesn't see Mai's status changing in Ridgewood.

"Mr. Mai has the skills and depth in his staff to handle the assignments required for the Village. The Village is anticipating no major changes other than those that will be of benefit to all parties in the scheduling of audit activities," he said.

Donovan has made no secret that she wants to collect money she said has been misappropriated in various governments, vetoing agency minutes and notably grilling the county's funding agency, the Bergen County Improvement Agency (BCIA), which fell upon allegations of corruption under the Democrats.

Agency director Ronald J. O'Malley, a Ridgewood business owner, on federal mortgage fraud charges in August of 2010.

Mai received $84,000 for the audits performed from 2008-2010 for Ridgewood and was reappointed for 2011 at the July 1 council reorganization meeting.

Jeanne Baratta, Donovan's Chief of Staff told Patch in an interview Monday afternoon that Mai would be receiving $375,000, roughly $25,000 less than the previous auditor collected in fees under the Democrats received in 2010.

"It's a nice little savings," she said.