Best Practices Score Assures Final State Aid Payment

An improved "best practices" score will assure that the city receives its final portion of state aid for 2013, officials said Monday.

Acting City Administrator Al Restaino said the city scored 82 percent on the state's 2013 Best Practices Inventory and will receive a "good percentage of return." Last year's 66 percent score meant the city received only 1 percent of the final 5 percent of state aid.

The Christie administration developed the 50-question review as an incentive for municipalities "to embrace practices that promote financial accountability and transparency."  Restaino said Chief Financial Officer Glenn Cullen and Treasurer Diane Sherry "worked diligently" on the inventory, which the council had to discuss publicly as part of the process. Click here to see the state Division of Local Government Services notice on the 2013 inventory.

Councilwoman Rebecca Williams asked several questions about specific items and Councilman Cory Storch asked Restaino how much state aid was involved. Restaino did not have an exact figure, but said it was "tens of thousands."

Storch commended the city clerk's office for adding many required items to the city's web site.

Click here to read Plaintalker's post on last year's best practices results.

--Bernice