New Rochelle City Manager’s Praise for Governance Model Clashes with Ongoing Corruption Probe

Robert Cox

14 Aug 2025 — 5 min read

New Rochelle Mayor Ramos and City Manager Melendez photoshopped into NPS Alcatraz Prison.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (August 14, 2025) — In a recent opinion piece for Governing magazine, New Rochelle City Manager Wilfredo Melendez extolled the virtues of the council-manager system of government, crediting it with balancing democratic accountability and operational expertise to drive the city’s progress. But just weeks before the article’s publication, Melendez was among six city officials subpoenaed by a Westchester County grand jury as part of a now 17-month criminal investigation into corruption at City Hall, highlighting a stark contrast between his portrayed image of effective governance and allegations of misconduct.

Asking Wilberto Melendez to write an article on balancing democratic accountability and operational expertise is like asking Jeffrey Epstein to write an article on child rearing and good parenting.

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