2015 Tentative Budget

I've sent my comments on the 2015 Tentative Budget to the Supervisor and Councilperson with a copy to Comptroller Phillips and Town Clerk Kennedy. 

Following are some of my comments/observations/concerns. 

Pete Stenson

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·         It appears that the wrong 2014 Budget file may have been used:

o   The 2014 Adopted Budget Column is erroneous in that the $110,000 in 1990.4 – Contingency (page 6) is not included in Expense calculations … Total General Fund CE should be $1,245,538 and Total General Fund Expense should be $8,042,372.  This is likely a formula error.

o   Similarly, the 1990.4 – Contingency in the amount of $110,000 is not included in Expense calculations.  Total Expense should be $8,184,511.  Again, this is likely a formula error.

·         Numerous YTD 9/30/14 Actual Revenues and Expenses exceed those included in the respective 2015 Tentative Budget Accounts, raising concern about the latter estimates.

·         “All-Funds” Personal Service (excluding Ambulance District) increases by about $74,000. 

o   Various accounts appear to include funding for many of the positions eliminated at the 1/2/14 Organizational Meeting.  Is funding for these positions included in or excluded from the 2015 Tentative Budget?  If included, is it by oversight or will the positions be filled now that a year has lapsed?

o   Similarly, funding for positions created and raises for existing positions implemented at the 1/2/14 Organizational Meeting appear to be missing from the impacted accounts.

·         “All-Funds” Employee Benefits (excluding Ambulance District) decrease by $145,037 despite increased All-Funds Personal Service.  Can this be explained?

·         Have the Personal Service, Employee Benefit, CE and Equip Account Allocations been recalculated? 

·         Total Sewer Debt payments increase by roughly $68,000.  I believe the WWTP Project was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.  Are the debt payments included in the 2015 Tentative Budget? 

·         Is there a 2015 financial impact of the Memorandum of Agreement with the East Greenbush Emergency Communications Union approved at the 10/15/14 Town Board Meeting and if so, is it reflected in the 2015 Tentative Budget?  If so in what amount?

·         How are the Police and CSEA negotiations progressing?  Are provisions made for raises in the 2015 Tentative Budget?

·         2015 Tentative Budget General Water Fund shows a deficit of $47,831.

·         What, if any Fee increases are included in the 2015 Tentative Budget?

·         What, if any, new positions, reorganizations and/or salary increases are included in the 2015 Tentative Budget?

·         What, if any, position eliminations are reflected in the 2015 Tentative Budget?

·         General Fund Account:

o   3020.1 - Emergency Communications PS increases $138,912.

o   3120.1 - Police & Constable PS increases $101,549 over 2014.

o   8160.4 - Refuse/Garbage CE decreases $56,831 from 2014 Adopted.

o   Other - Reserves/Debt Reduction 962 - Provision for Other Uses is split into 3 lines for a total of $177,316.  The purpose should be identified.

o   3005 - State Aid Mtg Tax decreases $125,000 from 2014 Adopted and $765 below 9/30/14 YTD.

 

 

Special Meeting

The Town Board of the Town of East Greenbush will be holding a Special Meeting to discuss the 2015 Budget  on Thursday, October 23, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. at the East Greenbush Town Hall, 225 Columbia Turnpike in the Town of East Greenbush, County of Rensselaer and State of New York.

Board of Ethics Meeting

There will be a Board of Ethics Meeting on Thursday, October 16th at 7pm at Town Hall.

Whats next ?

Well, apparently our Supervisor , and we use that term loosely,  has decided to throw Sean Mulvey into the CFAC.

Question:  WHY?

Why place someone you terminated from the financial directors position less than two years ago, into a position that actually  requires some knowledge of finances and budgeting?

Please explain yourself Mr. Langley,  inquiring minds and taxpayers deserve to know !

Ed Gilbert running interference on the Ethics Board and  Sean Mulvey now  planted intentionally on the  CFAC !  Not  good Keith,  not  good at all !

Citizen's Fiscal Advisory Committee Meeting

The Citizen's Fiscal Advisory Committee will be holding meetings on the following dates: October 14, 2014 7:00 PM at the East Greenbush Town Library November 17, 2014 7:00 PM at the East Greenbush Town Library

The Latest from Supervisor Langley

East Greenbush taxes don't go up
Supervisor says cuts in spending, not in services
By Kenneth C. Crowe II
Times Union
Published 9:58 pm, Thursday, October 2, 2014

"This year I am proposing a zero percent tax increase on the residents of East Greenbush," Langley said. "This is being accomplished through conservative estimates on several revenue sources and tighter controls on spending."

The proposed $17,333,504 budget cuts spending by 3.8 percent. A reduction of $693,933 from the current budget of $18,027,437. The proposed budget does not reduce staffing or programs.

"It will not affect any town services or day-to-day operations," Langley said.

"A zero percent tax increase in these continued economic times is responsible and has the town performing a similar belt-tightening as the individuals and families we serve," Langley said.

The general fund tax rate will remain at $2.78 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

The town's comprehensive budget also includes the highway fund, sewer, water, fire and ambulance taxes.

"The residents of East Greenbush (should) know we're in much better shape than we think," Councilwoman Mary Ann Matters said.

She had praise for there being no tax increase in the budget.

Matters, however, expressed concern that the Town Board still has not received a report on the audit of the town's finances.

Langley said the town's financial records were in such a mess that it is taking time to straighten them out in order to complete a comprehensive report.

He referred to the state comptroller's 2012 audit of the town's financial management that reported the municipality's "accounting records were not accurate."

Matters questioned the length of time it was taking to complete the audit.

"In short, most of us at this table have nothing, certainly not in the way of number or reports, on which to base a decision regarding this budget in the millions of dollars despite repeated requests from the residents, board meeting after board meeting, for this information," Matters said.

She also questioned why the town payroll has not been certified by the Rensselaer County Civil Service Commission since Jan. 2013. Langley said Town Attorney David Gruenberg is working on this issue"

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Will Langley be able to hold the line ?    Highly doubt it .    So long as Chris Defruscio has anything whatsoever to do with the operations of East Greenbush,  most of what Langley has predicted  is nothing but political fodder, rife with rhetoric and grand dreams.