Lake Worth Finance Advisory Board

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Lake Worth Finance Advisory Board
to serve in an advisory capacity to the City Commission and the City Manager. The Board shall serve to promote transparency in the City of Lake Worth budget process and allow for additional citizen input on major financial decisions. The Board shall consult with and advise the City Manager and the City Commission in matters affecting the annual operating budget, capital improvement program and all financial policies.

That is the Mission of this Board. After reading it, it is impossible to know whether this Board should be pro-active or reactionary. It has also been impossible for them to function because they have not received anything but a Wish List of capital improvements from the various departments that want a budget and grab the cash. They do not have the knowledge nor do they have the time to delve into every desire of every department on the CIP. Anything given to them thus far is subject to change.

They have been stopped by Staff that has not yet generated the information they need to make recommendations. Union negotiations, if there have been any, are top secret. I agree with Thrasher when he said “this problem is solvable and the Board can be both proactive and reactive.” I disagree with him when he inferred that the Board should revert to Staff as “Staff has some ideas.” Staff has been the problem in this City spending our tax dollars on unnecessary projects…bringing them forth to a City Commission that relies on their expertise with the normal outcome of voting yea every time. Perhaps this is why their liaison, Susan Stanton, chose to attend Bike Night instead of the Board meeting. The Commission has said that she does not interact with the public enough. The Commission is her boss as it is to the FAB.

There were fears that we would belly-up. We have $9 million in reserves so we are not going bankrupt. The County would not “take us over” as Board member Plotkin suggested. If there was a financial emergency, the State would do so under “very specific criteria,” per Steven Carr, Finance Director. John Pickett asked a few times what Chapter 9 would look like. Staff needs to be 100% candid and truthful with this Board.

On May 19 , Board member Bill Thrasher made suggestions as to what he believes will turn our city around—drastic measures. At last night’s Board meeting, he was clearly frustrated that no one had addressed his analysis of one week ago. He seemed upset last night and some of it had to do with protocol. Exline did not follow protocol when he spoke in front of the Commission giving an opinion of what the Board discussed rather than a stated motion. Jessica Plotkin was wrong in calling out the Chair for this error in front of the City Commission. It was finally agreed that it will be only the Chair that speaks for the Board and if the Commission asks anyone else to speak, the Board should decline and follow proper procedure. It was Mr. Exline who asked that John Pickett and Jessica Plotkin speak at the Commission meeting still trying to maintain a "friendly" Board.

Perhaps now Exline has learned that this is not a relaxed Board but one that is driven to make some substantial decisions and everyone should follow protocol and Robert's Rules 100%. Mr. Thrasher stated that he was the ONLY one with financial experience on the Board. This statement did not set well with some members of the Board. What he probably meant to say was that he was the only one with government financial experience and even that would not have been completely the case. The Chair now needs to regain control of this Board and even limit discussion on some items if necessary.

This Board is only going to be as good as the information it receives and the direction from the City Commission. As member Laurel Decker said, “to be pro-active, we need Staff time and get clarification from the Commission.” This Board can spend 5 million hours on a segment of the Budget or the CIP and it may be just spinning wheels. Chair Exline stated the same thing when he said, “We are here to listen to the Commission wants….you don’t have to agree. It is the Commission’s authority to put the budget together."

When this Board was formed, I thought it would be pro-active. I thought that they would be taking every line item and “tearing it apart” as Jessica Plotkin believes. There are still members of this Board who say we should be “looking at the bigger picture.” There are others who believe that they are there to help the Commission and therefore need to know what the Commission needs from them.

The Chair has said from inception that he wanted a “friendly board” and that he will be an unbiased Chair allowing the Board to develop and reach its conclusions. He continues to ask for motions and not one Board member has ever proposed one until last night when John Pickett, Vice Chair, made the first motion of this Board after ten meetings:

The Financial Board directs the liaison to the FAB to request a meeting with the Finance Advisory Board and the City Commission of Lake Worth, as soon as possible, by schedule, to ask for and discuss its role as it relates to the Commission.

Perhaps this will be settled once and for all.