Indicted City Councilman Ruben Wills has not shown up for a single Council meeting this year, documents show.
The Queens pol missed 69 straight meetings since January, citing medical reasons, according to attendance records obtained Wednesday through the Freedom of Information Law.
In all, Wills missed 72% of the 111 meetings and hearings he was supposed to attend in the 2016 fiscal year, which ended June 30 — 78 medical absences and two unexcused absences.
Wills spokesman Brandon Clarke said the pol has now returned to the Council after the extended medical leave.
“The nature of his prior illness and other related absences, which the appropriate parties at the Council received documented confirmation of, continues to be a private matter that no other individual would reasonably be expected to disclose for public consumption,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that some are suggesting the councilman’s prolonged recovery time is reflective of either his dedication to his constituents or his ability to effectively perform his duties, as nothing could be further from the truth,” Clarke said, claiming constituents realize Wills “works tirelessly to serve their needs.”
The Jamaica Democrat was indicted on a dozen different corruption charges in 2014. Prosecutors charged he stole public campaign funds — using the money for purchases like a Louis Vitton handbag and shopping trips to Nordstrom — and took a state member item for a sham charity but pocketed most of it.
His attendance has been the worst on the Council since then — he missed 32.4% of his required meetings in 2014, and 27% in 2014. But the six-month stretch of continuous absence is unprecedented on the current Council.
Wills continues to collect his full salary — $148,500 this year, after the Council voted in February to give themselves a 32% raise, retroactive to the beginning of the year. There is no limit on the number of sick days a member may take.
A Council spokesman said Wills had submitted a doctor’s note as required to have an absence marked as medical, but declined to disclose details due to privacy rules.
Aside from Wills, the pol with the worst attendance record was Darlene Mealy (D-Brooklyn), who was absent for 28.2% of the 103 meetings she was required to attend.
Maria del Carmen Arroyo (D-Bronx), who resigned at the beginning of the year, was absent for 23% of the 39 hearings she was supposed to be at before she stepped down, plus another four medical absences.
Fernando Cabrera (D-Bronx) missed 21.4% of his meetings, plus four medical absences, Andy King (D-Bronx) missed 19.4%, and Carlos Menchaca missed 17.4%.
Also out for stretches of time for medical reasons were Annabel Palma (D-Bronx), who was gone from last July to October, Debi Rose (D-Staten Island), from January to March, and Inez Dickens (D-Manhattan), from September to December.
Posting perfect attendance were Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan), Republican minority leader Steve Matteo, and Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
With Jack Brewster
