Comment Up
Chair Pickett comments
From the City Manager's Report:
Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Budget
Commission workshops on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 were held on July 26<, July 27 and August 18. Two more workshops are scheduled for August 22nd and August 23.
The Finance Advisory Board reviewed the proposed budget this week and unanimously recommended the Commission approve the Proposed Budget as submitted.
The proposed budget for the City's General Fund is balanced, (i.e. total revenues equal total expenses). A public hearing is scheduled for September 6th at 6:00 p.m. for the City Commission to adopt a tentative millage rate and proposed budget. A public hearing is scheduled for September 26at 6:00 p.m. to adopt a final millage rate and a final budget.
Good stuff, from the Finance Advisory Board. They haven't had a meeting to discuss this Budget or anything else in months. First of all, I had no idea that they were even going to have a meeting. The last time I looked, there was a meeting scheduled for Aug 24 and then that was canceled. It was not on the calendar when I looked. There was no back-up. Was it properly noticed? It wasn't, as usual in the PB Post. Who was there to vote this Budget in? Apparently it was held at the Golf Course on Aug 17. Please get the minutes available as soon as possible.
Do you ever feel that the deck is totally stacked against you?
Today's PB Post article. John Rinaldi's facial expression says it all. Too bad it's not featured in the on-line article.
Anyone on the FAB care to comment?
ReplyDeleteExline told the city manager earlier in the year that he would vote to fire her if he was still mayor. The Board never could get any documents when asked. It was like pulling teeth on a daily basis. The CM wanted him out. You don't cross the CM. He was out. Other Board members blamed Exline for its ineffectiveness. They wanted to meet weekly. Since Exline has been out, the Board has seldom met. Exline's hearing is not at perfection but he could hear well enough and understood the word "no" when he got it from Staff. The Board was a total waste of time and has always been a rubber stamp for the CM. The only two members who were CPA's either resigned or did not re-apply. She now has people in leadership roles more aligned with her on the Budget, the Board's primary focus.
ReplyDeleteJessica Plotkin was the ringleader in this ineffectiveness.She was the secretary. She NEVER had the minutes done. When pressed,she just refused to do the job(sort of like the municipalities that have just said no to paying their sewer bills)!Laurie Decker was too stupid to know a friend of Lake Worth from an enemy of Lake Worth. Thatcher and Pickett have from the beginning been Stantons hand puppets.The FAB board is the poster child for why we should get rid of all unelected boards.More often than not, they are power hungry fools,like Plotkin,Decker,Thatcher, and Pickett,who do much more harm to the taxpayers of Lake Worth than good.
ReplyDeleteYou’re an idiot, anonymous. If you’re going to comment you should stay informed. Ms. Plotkin is not the Secretary of the FAB. Bill Thrasher took that job months ago when Jessica’s term as Secretary expired. Moreover, Ms. Plotkin produced minutes for each session and always within 60 days of said session. This is more consistent than our City’s Clerk produces minutes which are often four months in arrears. Look to the FAB’s Chairman for answers as to why meetings are not noticed properly and how this board can blindly approve such a complex budget with only one session. His name is John Pickett and can usually be found in the office of Susan Stanton getting direction on what to do next.
ReplyDeleteJessica's Mintues were all up to date when she relinquished the position and Thrasher was voted in. This Board did not have ONE Budget meeting during this entire budget process other than to support the city manager it seems. Who on the Board was at the meeting?
ReplyDeleteAnon, I mean Katie, you have no idea what you are talking about. Let's try to clear a few things up -
ReplyDelete1. Other than the Commission, the Finance Advisory Board met more during my one year as Secretary than any other Board.
2. In approximately 1/3rd of those meetings, the audio failed to record. The recording is the responsibility of the Board liaison, NOT the Secretary. Unlike the CRA or P & Z, the FAB does not have a City staff member as Secretary. Meaning a Board member must do double duty in trying to listen and participate as well as take minutes during the meeting.
3. Although I work full-time, go to school full-time and sit as the Secretary/Treasurer of the TRNA, I always had the minutes prepared within 2-3 weeks of the meeting. In some instances, minutes were completed but never distributed by the Liaison to other Board members or there was not a quorum present to vote on approval.
4. Until last week, I never missed a single meeting. However, at the November meeting, I left early to take an exam. Later that evening, the Board reached a consensus to recess for several months. Not only were there minutes outstanding that the Board had not yet voted on, but it took months for me to receive the audio from that meeting.
5. If you want to bitch about minutes, go take a look at the CRB, they haven't posted any.
6. The blog author has frequently commented on the thoroughness of the minutes and congratulated me on the job I was doing. Unlike the Commission minutes, when members of the public chose to speak, I always included their comments in the minutes. Try reading them. Also, shame on the blog author for not rebutting the anon poster, at least in this instance.
7. I went above and beyond what is required by Robert's Rules when composing the minutes. Since this was a brand new Board, meeting on complicated and controversial issues, I wanted the minutes to include as much background information as possible. This is particularly true during meetings with department heads explaining the functions of their department and their role in the budget.
8. The Finance Advisory Board should change their name to the Finance Approving Board. It is a joke that, after not meeting for months and with 3 brand new members, they can vote on approving a budget without making a single change or recommendation. I am throughly disgusted. Again, I was NOT at this meeting and "unanimous" should specify those members in attendance.
You did an excellent job on rebut! Who was at the meeting? Does anyone know when it was really noticed?
ReplyDeleteWhen I checked the calendar on the 17th, there was no meeting listed. I'm pretty sure of it. I e-mailed Pickett to get a copy of the agenda for the 24th meeting that had not yet been canceled. There was nothing posted on the Board at City Hall when I was there on Monday. I guess you have to check on a daily basis to find out what's going on in your own city. And don't forget to photo copy or print out the calendar in order to prove your point.
ReplyDeleteJessica, this is Katie. I did not do the above anon post you acussed me of. However I do agree with most of it.Nobody elects these board members. They are political appointments. Many times the person who would be best suited to a board gets passed over.Even you have admitted that this current FAB board is questionable,at best. Katie Mcgiveron
ReplyDeleteWell then I apologize for accusing you, Katie. The last few Board appointment interviews have been a total waste of time. At least a dozen highly qualified candidates for P & Z, CRA, CRB and Pension Boards were passed over in favor of cronyism.
ReplyDeleteAs for the FAB specifically, there were only 11 people who applied for the initial Board and 7 were selected. The 3 vacancies that were filled in this last round of appointments were chosen from only 5-6 candidates. I wouldn't say that the Board has been flooded with people eager to serve.
The Board appointment process is corrupt. Ryan Anderson gave a presentation on this topic to the Commission last year after they so botched the appointment process, people resigned rather than be associated with such a debacle. After 3 work sessions on the issue, the resulting list of "improvements" consists on a longer application and procedures which the Commission is not even obligated to follow. The Commission still doesn't follow their own Ordinance.
When the Commission completely sidesteps the codified procedures from creating such Boards - ie, Marketing Task Force and Centennial Committee, it makes the mockery of those who are talented and qualified and want to give back to their communities. What's the point of even trying anymore?
The notice for the FAB meeting at the golf course was on the bulletin board in City Hall on Tuesday, August 16th which is how I found out about it. Here is a list of those in attendance:
ReplyDeleteCommissioner Scott Maxwell
Financial Advisory Board -
John Pickett
Darrian Dority
William Thrasher
Andrew McAusland (new member)
William Chernekoff (new member)
Leanne Evans (new member; arrived late)
Staff -
Steve Carr
Ed Fry
Clyde Johnson
Kathleen Margoles
The new members received their printed copy of the budget at the beginning of the meeting. Unless they had printed if themselves, that was the first time they had a hard copy.
For the first hour Mr. Carr talked about the Sunshine Law and government accounting. Then he turned to the actual budget and outlined the underlying assumptions. The proposed new positions were identified, but only 5 of the 7 were mentioned and no comment was made about the multiple position reclassifications and proposed raises. Mr. Carr said going forward the City had to do three things:
1. Enhance revenue - six examples were given of which five were assessments on taxpayers,
2. Cut cost - no examples were given; in fact nothing more was said on this other than "cut costs,"
3. Economic development/growth - comments were made about the new positions being added.
The Board and Staff then started to review the fund summaries starting on page 104 of the budget. There were some questions asked during the review. The cost of the Internal Auditor was brought up. Staff noted the costs for the PB County Inspector General were included in that category, but provided the CM explanation of how the fee is set which according to my discussion with the Inspector General is incorrect.
When the meeting attendees got to the Beach Redevelopment Fund,
Ms. Margoles reviewed the current status of the project. There was a lengthy discussion about lighting. Mr. Thrasher suggested going back to the County to see if more bond monies were available.
After three hours the meeting had progressed to page 116 of the budget, the Golf Course Fund. At this point I left as it was apparent the Financial Advisory Board was going to do exactly what was done - rubber stamp the budget. There was a workshop scheduled next week at Compass between the City Commission and FAB on the budget, but it has been cancelled.
Excellent report...thanks!
ReplyDeleteAny Board that votes on a Budget that is 433 pages and in the amount of $173,918,361 in just a few hours, is Absolutely RIDICULOUS. How many on the Board actually has read the Budget at all? Grrrr!
Folks,
ReplyDeleteWe had postponed having a meeting until the new members of the board had been appointed as we have been operating with four members since August 1st, when the budget was still being finalized.
I asked Steve Carr, as soon as the new members were appointed, to send out an e-mail to the entire board to assure that each member came to the meeting having read the budget so that they would be prepared to ask questions. Each member was given a hard copy of the budget at the meeting. It was the first time I had received a hard copy, but that did not prevent me from spending 10 plus hours reading it prior to attending.Other members in attendance indicated that they had done the same, or had at least done a great degree of preparation for the meeting.
Far from rubber stamping it, we went through the budget line by line and fund by fund. Half of the questions that were asked appeared pre-preparedfrom members who had read through the budget previously. Other questions were derived from issues and explanations that came up in the meeting.
Topics discussed at length included, but were not limited to:
1. Public assessments for services including light poles, fire and garbage collection.
2. Increase in the staff budgets for both the City Manager's Office and the City Attorney's Office.
3. The overall depletion of Fund balances in the coming year, most specifically including the Road Improvement Fund and the Utility Conservation Fund.
4. The current plans to put the golf course on more sound financial footing.
5. Current plans to reduce electric rates and raise water and sewer rates.
I could go on with examples.
Questions and concerns were raised about specific items by each member of the board, both old and new, and were answered to our satisfaction by Steve Carr and Ed Frye.
At the conclusion of the meeting, I suggested we meet next week with the Commission for any answers to questions that remained. I received immediate pushback from the Board that, while there may have been some issues some disagreed with from a personal standpoint, the budget as presented and explained was a very good, if not excellent, budget that dealt with the issues we are facing. Of particular note that some, including me, found comforting was the fact that we are actually budgeting to add $750,000 in capital reserves to our balance sheet this coming year. This, of course, is reversing a long time trend of depleting capital reserves.
Rather than meet again, and in part due to the pre preparation for the meeting, the members unanimously concurred that they were ready to support the budget, and we did so by unanimous vote.
As to the meeting with the Commission, we decided that, in light of our support, we did not need to meet with them, but instead made ourselves available to them that night to them if they had any questions of us.
There was no rush to judgement here, nor any rubber stamping. Rather, it shows to me that if you put six people in a room with excellent preparation, you do not have to ascribe to the Lake Worth tradition of spending six hours talking about what day of the week it is. Politics aside (which seems to be the toughest thing for people to get past) we all felt that this budget was an entirely reasonable and responsible financial path for the City to embark on for this coming year. And lastly, just for the record, I have not been in Stanton's office, nor spoken to her about this budget, or any other issue for that matter, in at least the last six months.
If you have any questions, please give me a call. I will need you to identify yourself, however, when you do.
John Pickett
These are not budget workshops. What they are, are sales pitches and explanations as to why the city is going to do what it is going to do. No public input at these meetings. Staff sits around giggling like a bunch of girls and tells the commission what's going to come down.
ReplyDeleteJohn, Based on your response I have a few questions--
ReplyDelete1. Do you see the 800lb gorilla in the room?
2. How many from the public were there as none were encouraged to attend to ask questions. I didn't know about it and I have attended every single one of your meetings.
3. The public is very much a part of your mission but it seems to me that their opinions were not sought. (A statement rather than a ?)
4. Instead of canceling the meeting on the 24th that was properly noticed for the public, why was it really canceled? Did you really have enough of the public there to make a difference? Your explanation was all about what your Board thought rather than what the public might want and expect.
4. If you didn't meet with Susan in her office, where did you meet?
5. Did you ever consider the amount of money that the city is raising from all these increases? $5 mil? $10 mil? You talk about $750,000 in reserves. That is what they tell you.
6. Who wrote your PR?
XXOO...It is disappointing, John.
So what if you only had 4 members. You are supposed to be a part of the budget process. You waited until it was finalized? I believe Jessica said it best when she could not believe that you, as a board, didn't make even one suggestion or recommendation.
ReplyDeleteM.E.
Hi Lynn,
ReplyDeleteThank you for you response. As to item:
1. I'm afraid you will have to be more specific. Last I checked, there were several 800lb gorillas walking around this town in various rooms. Special assessments, lawsuits, beach lights, millage caps.....Please be more specific!
2. I realize you have attended all of our meetings. As you know, you are one of the very few from the public who does, a number lesser still if you do not count spouses or significant others. While the time and location of our meeting was bounced around due to scheduling conflicts at City Hall and budget preparation delays, I agree that you should have been aware of our meeting without having to dig through periodicals. I will find out the exact time and method of our noticing for you.
3. I agree that the public is very much a part of our mission. It is too bad that there are so few who attend our meetings and speak. Is this apathy? I don't know. As you know, last spring, we very much wanted to, as a board, put a poll in the field to determine public sentiment on various issues. As you also know, it was decided that any poll we could afford would be ineffective, and any poll that would be effective, we could not afford.
4. It was cancelled for the very reason I stated: the purpose of the meeting with the Commission was to express any significant disagreements we might have had with the budget as presented. Seeing we had nothing substantial to disagree with, the meeting, from our board's standpoint, was superflous. Having said that, our board did not cancel the meeting. Rather, we conveyed to Steve Carr that we would like to, and were available to, meet with the Commission if the Commission found it prudent or necessary. The choice to have or cancel the meeting was therefore left to the Commission.
5. Other than a time I MAY have done the "hi-hi" thing with Susan in the hallway at some point, I have not met with, or spoken to, Susan Stanton, in any place or at any time, in at least the last six months. On any subject. No e-mails, faxes, or smoke signals either.
6. Of course I have considered the amount of money we are asking the public to cough up. I am as angry as you(well almost as judging by your writings) that it has come to this. The numbers are outrageous and, I'm sorry to say, painful for many people. Having said that, this is what happpens to a business or government that spends the the last five years entering into bad contracts and showing abysmally poor financial judgement and practicing abysmally poor financial management. We have spent the last five years being ostriches hoping all of our financial problems would go away or get better. We have delayed the pain, and, in the process, spent all of our prudent capital reserves. And the chickens have come home to roost. And that makes me angry, as I know it does you. To make matters far worse,the situation we find ourselves in was, to a great extent, very preventable had we acknowledged our problems far earlier.
As to the addition to our capital reserves for this coming year, you can find it on the second page of the General Fund of the budget under "Uses of Funds" We are currently budgeting and hoping for$1,000,000, but we believe the number could come in at $750,000.
7. Not sure about the PR question, but I write and speak for myself if that is what you are referring to.
8. Lastly, I am in receipt of your e-mail on the CIP. The answer requires some digging, and I will do that for you sometime over the rest of this weekend.
If you have any other questions, I would love to discuss them with you in person or by phone. I believe you have my cell, but let me know if you don't.
Best, John
Thanks, John.
ReplyDeleteI would encourage everyone to e-mail John Pickett with questions you have on the budget and ways that can generate revenue and reduce these taxes--just a few thoughts,
1. Get a list of all the past-due electric accounts going back 10 years if necessary. Collect the money. $8 mil? Why are some still receiving the service?
2. All code fines that have mounted up. Get a judgment and let's not write these off to bad debts. $60 mil that we can't collect? Slap a lien. If we can't get anything out of it, we can get the property. Make sure people aren't committing fraud, however. :)
3. No more special rates on electric to special customers. The rate increasing over 1000kw is another joke. Everyone who runs his a/c in a normal sized structure during this heat uses that much unless they are suffering.
4. No more free lunch
5. Put off any CIP projects that are budgeted and unnecessary for another year or two.
6. Check the money we are spending for unnecessary CIP's in the Utility for this year. $2 mil and $750,000 for stormwater. Don't replace any vehicles unless absolutely necessary.
7. Get the darn cities to pay for the sewer service they are now getting. They don't like the increase. Well, too damn bad, nether do I. What can be done here?
8. Ask for the estimated amount that the city will generate in each budget increase...sewer, water, special assessments, what have you. How much income is the City really raising off the backs of the people? No one has ever told us. You might be surprised.
9. The Public Service Tax is a joke. It was originally supposed to be a temporary tax. Now all it does is generate revenue. So a 2% decrease is meaningless to me.
10. Stormwater is another joke. Until last year, there never was an employee in this department. Remind me what they are generating income for and how much money is this, not just the increased amount. Is this for the Stormwater Planning Process? If so, why so much money?
11. You know that a lot of fancy accounting goes on. It is impossible for any citizen to follow this budget or make sense out of it.
I am glad that the FAB could.
Thanks for acknowledging the pain that people will go through. No one else has had much sympathy.
There are a million questions in the "poor little city by the sea." These are just a couple.
M.E.,
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to make this my last comment on this issue in this format otherwise I'll be here, it seems, forever. As I stated, I would love to continue this conversation with you on the phone or in person. I also apologize, Lynn, if I am duplicating an earlier post, but I'm not sure it took on the computer.
As to your comment, M.E. we attempted to have two meetings prior to this one with our four members. On our first attempt, one of the remaining members could not attend, leaving us without a quorum. On our second attempt, two of the four remaining members could not make it.
As to getting involved in the budget process, early last spring, Mayor Varela suggested to City staff and the Commission that our board be allowed to participate early in the budget process i.e. sit in on internal departmental discussions prior to the budget final formalization. Several then members of the board were eager to participate. It was decided, and I don't know if it was the City staff or the Commission that made the decision, that our attendance at these meetings would be disruptive and distracting. If memory serves, and please don't hold me to this, there were some Sunshine issues as well. Hence, we were left with the process we currently have.
As to making changes or recommendations in the budget, there stuff in there I don't like and would like to change. I suspect the same is true of other members of the board as well, but I will not speak for them.
As to specifics, for example, I am adamantly opposed to the Utility Conservation Fund. I don't like it for what it is, which is a yet another tax on our utility bill and I do not believe the City should be involved in either assembling or administering a loan program, among other things said tax is used for.
However, that is a political question and a policy decision that is the responsibility of the Commission. Even though we have tried to keep politics out of our board, we have nonetheless made policy recommendations in the past to the Commission that have gone down in flames. I seem to remember we took at lot of heat doing it as such actions being outside the scope of our authority.
Everything in the budget is the result of the will of the Commission or through the support the Commission gives to the staff's recommendations. We have tried making recommendations to no avail, and were publicy criticized for doing it. Subconciously, I suppose, we have therefore stuck to the simple oversight of the validity of the finacials. I respectfully suggest you take any objections on policy you have, or changes you would like to see made, up with the Commission.
Some final thoughts, Lynn, for the evening:
ReplyDeleteI agree in principle with much of your last post, and I know a lot of thought went into it.
1. We have looked into these overdue accounts and the City has. It is my impression that, rather than drawing a line in the sand and risk losing the revenue completely, the City is working with these accounts to get them up to date. I agree with this strategy, now that the horse has left the barn, but it will take time to get these accounts current. Our mistake is that we shouldn't have allowed the horse to get that far away from the barn in the first place.
2. Collecting this money is going to be a problem. The issue is the result of what is known as "priority liens." Mortgages, for example, are senior to City code fines. Many of the values of Lake Worth's properties have fallen below the debt owed on them. Were we to forclose, say, on a property worth $75,000 with a $100,000 mortgage over $10,000 in code fines, we would absorb the costs of foreclosure, force the sale of the proerty, and watch the bank get all of the proceeds. A lot of the $60 million in fines fall on properties that fall directly into the category this examples cites.
3. We have looked pretty hard into the CIP, both this year and last. As you recall, the first CIP budget we looked at was over $100 million. That has been cut way back, including, as an example, completely deferring redoing the greens at the golf course. This is one, and maybe a poor, example, but I believe we have put off a lot of what we could. Yes, we could cut back more, but please remember that sometimes deferring maintenance sometimes results in cutting off your nose and spiting your face.
Some final personal thoughts:
One of the most frustrating and difficult things I encountered when I joined the FAB was getting used to government accounting. Believe me, it is far different from private sector accounting and difficult to understand and get used to. So I completely empathize with those who do not understand it or are frustrated by it.
One of the other things that surprised me when we first started to meet was how few of my fellow citizens attended our meetings, particularly in a time when our City is in financial trouble. A million people show up to the Commission meeting to talk about beach hours, but nobody shows up to see or understand how their tax dollars are at work. I'll bet, outside of City staff and the FAB, no more than 15 Lake Worth citizens have even looked at our budget. I know there have been a lot of opinions expressed on this blog, far more than have been expressed in the public comment points of our meetings. I implore all of you who have concerns or interest in our financial situation to come down to our meetings and be heard. This is, after all, your board as we represent you as citizens. Best of all, we don't have blue cards and we don't have 2 minute time limits.
Lastly, Lynn, you last comment about feeling people's pain troubles me. I would hope that everyone is sympathetic towards those who are struggling to find a job, to to hold on to one. I would hope that everyone in this City understands that each dollar taken out of those who are struggling to make ends meet hurts. And, I suppose, that is why talk of us rubber stamping a budget, or approving it willy nilly is particularly bothersome to me. Just because we approved it doesn't mean we wish it were so.
Oh Ryan, you chastise in your first sentence, that people need to have verification of their facts.
ReplyDeleteBut your statement that John Pickett lives in Stanton's office, is an utter falsehood.
Why would you say such a thing?
To stop the upgrade of the greens at the golfcourse is really the msot stupid decision. To get rid of the manager/pro was stupid as well. This was already approved to fix greens. Where do they want to spend this money instead? They will let this course go down like they have everything else. I think they need the money to build Joe Kroll another public works building.
ReplyDeleteA golfer
The constructive discussion in this post was very much enlightening...Thank you Lynn and John for having a very good conversation about this very touchy subject matter.
ReplyDeleteI hope the Commission realizes that EVERYONE in this city except for the CM is against this budget and the need to explore all options before passing this.
There are current expenditures coming up in the current budget that just simply should not happen including the new budget.
Do not purchase I-Pads for God's Sake people we live in the year 2011 and everyone on a board does not own their OWN laptop? Borrow your kids if you have to for the meetings. And last I checked and I do check all the time....laptops DO NOT COST $2000.00 Even with Microsoft License for Office
Another thing....we are going to spend funds on ripping out shuffle board courts (I don't care if its grant funds it still a waste) to make a green space...Let the shuffle boards stay where they are and when times are better give it back to the seniors that deserve it.
If you want to green that place up do it in the parking lot...That would be the best use for those grant funds its all concrete and as plent of room to plant some great trees.
I think I will go through this budget line for line and thank you Lynn for giving us a place to discuss!
I know it is tough times but CM and Commission and FAB we should have been having these tough discussions right after 2008...2011 its the ship sinking scenario and we did not spend or save our tax payers money wisely over the last 3 years. Don't continue to make the same mistakes and there are other revenue streams then just taxing and assessing the people.
John, just because the commission shoots the FAB's ideas down does not mean you tuck tail and go with their wishes...You said yourself above there are things you did not agree with I hope you at least let the commission know what those things are.
Sincerely a very nervous resident for Lake Worth's future.
Anonymous (8/20, 9:28pm)… You are not only a coward, but also a fool. To start, I said you should stay informed if you’re going to comment so get your “facts” straight. I know for a fact that the FAB’s Chair has met with the City’s Manager on two occasions at his home within the past three months. It should be noted that the topic of these two meetings didn’t have anything to do with the budget, nor Mr. Pickett’s position on the FAB. These are two meetings that Mr. Pickett isn’t counting, how many others do you think have transpired that he’s not telling us about, Anon?
ReplyDeleteAs for not meeting for TEN weeks in a row (6/8/11 – 8/17/11) during budget season -- A quorum is had with four of the seven members of FAB present. However there were six members on the FAB up until July 31st when Ron Exline’s and Laurel Decker’s terms expired. Why didn’t they meet with the six members between 6/8 and 7/31? Last year they met once a week during this time.
--
The FAB’s meeting count for the 2010 budget cycle: June=3, July=6, Aug=5.
The FAB’s meeting count for the 2011 budget cycle: June=1, July=0, Aug=1.
--
Moreover, waiting for new people to be appointed to review the City’s budget, which is the FAB’s main purpose, is a really bad idea. The Chair has admitted in this thread that he’s struggled with learning government accounting practices over the past year. There’s something to be said for that. John may be in the CM’s pocket but he’s a really smart dude. So, if it’s tough for him to sort this stuff out why would he want to have three brand new members assigned and give them less than two weeks to review and approve this budget? I think the answer to this question may be found in my previous statement about Pickett in a pocket.
Finally, the $750,000 capital reserve is a joke in my humble opinion. The City’s legal costs are going to skyrocket this year. They grew this past year, along with the budget for the City Manager’s Office, and are destined to get even more out of control this year with all of our pending lawsuits. I hope the FAB remembers this $750k next year and documents exactly where it ends up; I can guarantee you that it won’t be in any reserve.
Pickett in a Pocket. That's a great title for a future blog.
ReplyDeleteBeing the only member of the public present for the FAB meeting at the golf course on Wednesday, 8/17, I have a slightly different perspective than Mr. Pickett.
ReplyDeleteThe new members of the board were appointed on 8/11/11 less than one week before this meeting. In their interviews all three new members stated they knew little or nothing about the City's budget. These members were given printed copies of the budget at their first FAB meeting so I am unsure as to how much preparation was possible. Mr. Carr indicated the existing members had been given CDs containing the budget.
As far as questions asked and explanations provided, I heard nothing extraordinary. The responses from Mr. Carr and Mr. Fry were the same as provided to the Commission during the Budget meetings held to date - the party line. Mr. Carr gave an explanation of government accounting and funds, and then started walking through the budget starting on page 104.
I concur with Lynn A. that this is diappointing. The Financial Advisory Board should do a better job of providing the voice of the citizens to the City Commission.
Most of all, this board should have done its job and considered why they were appointed. It's truly sickening when you can get an entire commission, and yes you too, Scott, swayed by the city manager. Now we have a finance board under the same CM voodoo dust.
ReplyDeleteRyan is right I too recall a meeting Mr. Pickett had with Susan Stanton within the last 6 months. It may not have been a Fab related meeting however it was stated by Mr. Pickett that there were no meetings on any issues.He may want to amend his statement at some time.
ReplyDeleteRyan, you are making things up. (some personal vendetta against Pickett?)
ReplyDeleteYour statement that you "know for a fact" that Pickett and Stanton met at his home 2 times in the last three months is a complete fabrication.
Just for the record.