Norman Roussell had a relationship with a nonprofit that did much the same work he did for Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration.
When Norman Roussell quietly stepped aside in August as director of Mayor Mitch Landrieu's minority contracting office, his two-sentence resignation letter presented it as an amicable, mutual parting of ways. But emails obtained by the Times-Picayune in a recent public records request reveal that Roussell's decision to leave was anything but voluntary.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu
Roussell's boss, Landrieu economic development adviser Aimee Quirk, wrote an email on July 18 to Chief of Staff Judy Morse and City Attorney Richard Cortizas to complain that she had heard Roussell had an improper relationship with the Capital Access Project Inc., a nonprofit he founded in 2001 to help so-called "disadvantaged businesses" land public work.
Quirk wrote that she had understood that Roussell had severed ties with Capital Access before coming aboard as director of the city's Office of Supplier Diversity.
"I do not know enough facts to know whether the allegations are accurate or not or whether there is any type of conflict, but the allegations cause me concern and warrant follow up," Quirk wrote in the email. "I am asking the law department to perform an investigation of the facts and to provide advice as to whether and what action may be warranted."
Landrieu spokesman Ryan Berni admitted that officials confronted Roussell about an "ongoing relationship with a nonprofit whose work is related to that of the Office of Supplier Diversity."
But he wouldn't identify the nonprofit, or elaborate on the nature of that relationship, leaving it unclear what exactly Roussell did wrong.
"After a review of the matter, the city and Mr. Roussell mutually agreed it was best for him to resign his City post," Berni wrote.
As the director of the Office of Supplier Diversity, Roussell was responsible for increasing the percentage of public contracts that were awarded to women- and minority-owned businesses, an effort that the Landrieu administration touted as gaining momentum during Roussell's 20 months on the job. Under Roussell, the city used a $1 million federal grant to establish classes for the owners of disadvantaged business enterprises, or DBEs; the Office of Supplier Diversity managed to grow DBE participation rates close to the mandated 35 percent for outside contracts; and $30 million in public bids went to such qualified companies in 2012 under Roussell, Berni said.
He was making $81,998 at the time of his departure.
Quirk began informing other city officials of Roussell's resignation in early September after Hurricane Isaac had passed, emails show. Arkebia Matthews, a compliance officer hired in early 2011, has been serving as the acting director.
Roussell did not return several messages left seeking comment. Adonis Expose, a former spokesman for the Housing Authority of New Orleans listed on Capital Access' website as its executive director, also didn't respond to a request for comment.
On paper, the Capital Access Project appears to have hit hard times. The Internal Revenue Service has revoked its income tax-exempt status for failing to file its 990 tax forms for three consecutive years, a scenario that not only threatens its employees but also donors who listed their contributions as charitable deductions on their individual tax forms.
The organization's third-floor headquarters in the Liberty Bank building on the corner of Broad and Canal streets appeared abandoned on Friday. The building's directory made no reference to Capital Access and its office doors were denuded of any signs or plaques, leaving behind only Velcro, masking tape and a small strip of letters inviting visitors to knock.
When a reporter did, no one answered.