One of the many items approved at the City Council's annual reorganization was a three-month temporary budget to operate the city. Councilwoman Bridget Rivers said Monday the budgets for the mayor's office and the Recreation Division reflected an increase of $1,000.
"One thousand dollars can lead to a lot of extra slush fund," Rivers said.
For the mayor's office, the salary & wages line in the temporary budget is $55,000 and the amount in the adopted 2016 budget was $208,957. The "other expense" line is $7,500, compared to $25,500 for 2016. The temporary budget for Recreation is $52,000 in salary & wages, compared to $195,392 for 2016 and $44,000 in other expenses for January through March contrasted to $167,400 for 2016. The three-month amount is supposed to be 26.25 percent of the prior year's adopted budget.
Rivers asked Finance Director Ron West to explain. West said the budget was less than a 2 percent increase over last year and $1,000 was a "reasonable amount for the first quarter."
Rivers said if you start calculating "a thousand dollars here and a thousand dollars there," it's a lot of money.
"You have to be careful of that," she said.
Council President Rebecca Williams explained to the public that the council routinely receives a number of check registers and other documents regarding city finances..
Councilman Cory Storch asked to see the amounts in the three-month temporary budget expressed as percentages of the previous year's budget. Storch said he asks every year for the percentages.
The 2017 temporary budget was submitted by Richard Gartz, who only became the city's new chief financial officer last June. The resolution ran to three pages, with two categories of spending for over 30 offices and divisions as well as boards and commissions and other expenses. The largest first quarter amounts were for public safety, including $2,950,000 in salaries and wages for the Fire Division and $4,750,000 for Police Division salary & wages.
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For the mayor's office, the salary " wages line in the
ReplyDeletetemporary budget is $55,000 × 4 quarters =$220,000. and the amount in the adopted 2016 budget was $208,957.
The "other expense" line is $7,500 x 4 quarters = $30,000 compared to $25,500 for 2016.
The temporary budget for Recreation is $52,000 x 4 quarters = $ $208,000. salary " wages, compared to $195,392 for 2016 and
$44,000 × 4 quarters = $176,000. in other expenses for January through March contrasted to $167,400 for 2016.
The three-month amount is supposed to be 26.25 percent of the prior year's adopted budget.
We can see that over a year thar the increase will be more than a thousand here and there, most all have worked in business, this is a position that is taken when you want to pad a budget. If the rule of thumb of 26.25 is used, the math is off by a few dollars that can and will add up to thousands over larger numbers.
Is it so hard for the city to live with in it means, we all have to this personally when we balance our finances.
Ron West, please be prepared when you are asking for funds from the city, raising your voice to council members or stumbling over the answer, shows a lack of accountability from you office.
We need to focus on every penny and dimes, being vague with finance is a smoke screen, accountability and transparent government is what is needed for the City of Plainfield
Why is the temporary budget not on line or accessible to the public with out dealing with a dog and pony show to retrieve one.
Please keep in mind that the budget can be adjusted as needed and the temporary budget is a projection. There are many nuances to a municipal budget. Having seen many finance directors over the past three decades, I can say I have faith in Mr. West's ability and knowledge of what the state Local Finance Board allows. The budget process is complicated, but it has checks and balances built in to make sure tax dollars are properly spent.
DeleteThe question of accountability and transparency needs to be addressed, these documents should be on the website, also the calendar of Council Meeting for 2017 with the agendas, last minute posting documents cannot be reviewed and questions asked properly. At the Council meetings you watch the members shuffle papers trying to articulate their questions to be asked and do not focus the points of what is being past in that session. Clarity would assist in so much of misinformation and speculation on the part of the citizens of Plainfield
DeleteThe question of accountability and transparency needs to be addressed, these documents should be on the website, also the calendar of Council Meeting for 2017 with the agendas, last minute posting documents cannot be reviewed and questions asked properly. At the Council meetings you watch the members shuffle papers trying to articulate their questions to be asked and do not focus the points of what is being past in that session. Clarity would assist in so much of misinformation and speculation on the part of the citizens of Plainfield
DeleteBut for those instances when you have the FBI and IRS raid a city's financials, in which case tax payers should, then, begin to question the checks and balances which often fail the very citizens its meant to protect.
DeleteTimmy - it would appear that you enjoy jumping to conclusions and placing blame haphazardly. It is always a better approach to ask questions first and then make these types of board stroke judgments that you seem to enjoy.
DeleteI for one think that Ron West is a fine public servant and I am sure he will be happy to answer all your questions.
Tim - your math makes a lot of assumptions (and we all know what happens when we make assumptions).
DeleteLets walk through this and use the Mayor's office as an example:
The 2016 approved budget was $208,957. The temporary 2017 funding request (pending approval of full budget) can be 26.5% of the prior years budget (i.e more than a quarter since that would be 25%). That would be temporary funding of $55,373.61. So right there the mayors office is coming in under the amount they could get (though very small). That number of $55,000 can't be taken out 4 quarters as they are not requesting that as far as we know. They are asking for temporary funding (1 fiscal quarter + 1.5%) until final budget is approved. So what would happen, using a flat request for 2017 to make it easier to illustrate, is that the $208,957 would have $55,000 deducted for the balance of the fiscal year or $153,957. That math, no matter how you approach it has ZERO padding in it.
What you demonstrated was based on a made up scenario and an assumption that the administration is going to ask for a 5.4% increase to the budget. Additionally, you cast members of the administration in a negative light because of your bad math. I am assuming you are new to town and aren't aware of the enormous lift this administration had in cleaning up the finances from the prior administration. It was an effort that should be applauded and we should encourage them to continue their job of creating a fiscally sound Plainfield.
I am so glad someone is watching the budget. I can remember serving on the CBAC and discovered they padded the budget in the police division to buy cars for the Mayor and the City administrator. Was that legal heck no.
ReplyDeleteCouncil do a forensic audit immediately.
Anon 9:31 - such a great idea - based on Bridget Rivers comment about $1,000 we should spend many thousands on a forensic audit - that is a great idea. So glad you aren't on the CBAC. Btw - moving funds from one cost center to another isn't padding of a budget.
DeleteYes do a forensic audit which would also cover the Robinson-Briggs administration.
DeleteThere was only one member that was persistent about "the cars" and her administration should be scrutinized first.
DeleteThis is the same Bridget Rivers who wanted to spend $1,000,000.00 on shot spotter without doing any research. Funny how politics plays into all this.
ReplyDeleteI would love for a forensic audit to be done for the past 20 years.
ReplyDeletenot sure if anyone in the administration knows what they are doing! not sure any of them are qualified to do job picked for. problem with picking friends and supporters..not qualified.
ReplyDeleteSomehow that sounds like an election year blanket condemnation.
DeleteThank you all for your comments. My point of the statement worked, looks like we have started a conversation that more eyes that are willing to be watching the numbers when we finally see a budget.
ReplyDeleteGood to see that padding will not be part of the process and we will all be aware of increased expenditures of .01% to speak out.
Amazing what concerned citizens will do to protect their tax dollars so that our property tax may be lowered or services for the city are in line.
We all wish that we could call on these taxpayers to assist and voice their concerns, but at last we live in a world that people cannot use their real names and hide behind the curtain of "anonymous" to perform and voice their duties of civic.
I will keep the pressure on all who are in public services, this is not a political issue, this is about servicing the public, fairly and honestly with accountability transparency and clarity with the government. We the People, For the People
Timothy, Bridget Rivers is not your friend nor is she Plainfield's friend. She is Jerry's friend and has a county job to prove it!
ReplyDeleteFYI, Jerry is Jerry Green.
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