Ways and Means committee meeting, 8/5/06, 9-12PM
Please click on the header for the Ways and Means committee meeting on 8/5/06 from 9:00 Am to 12:00 PM.
All interested parties please attend.
Tom Ford NO.196
All interested parties please attend.
Tom Ford NO.196
posted by Crestwood Independent at 16:46
68 Comments:
I attended the Ways and means committiee meeting this morning from 9 to noon. Several interesting things came up and I will try to encapsulate them for you here.
Changes to the pay plan were discussed, as well as a method of increasing salaries ( a great presentation by Don Maddox,) possibily a C.O.L.A. type program.
A change to the Cities checking account to save costs. Instead of having three or four accounts, it was opined that one account would be the better way to go. That means all the incoming and outgoing funds would be co-mingled in one account. This is a great idea, as the City is able to track expenditures, and reciepts much better that way. It also means that we should be able to reduce the line of credit due to the funds being available.
Deliquent trash payments by residents are becoming a problem to us as the Onyx has a contract that makes us responsible for the non paying trash customers ( were out 9 k so far.)It was suggested that the City issue summons to court for the non paying citizens (A very good idea.)
Up date on the budget process for 2007. Ms. Tate gave a presentation on the meeting dates for the budget work which will be posted at a later date.
Property tax rates were discussed, and it appeares that the recommendation to the board will be to remain static.
Request for proposal's,
2007. Mr. Meyers gave a presenttion as to his ideas to save the City further interest payments, as well as getting back the title to City hall. In looking at the presentation I felt it was well thought out, both from a standpoint of cutting expenditures, as well as the best and most efficient use of the Prop. S tax hike. The way it is structured there can be no other use for the tax hike except to pay down the loan's it was passed for.
Future topics were suggested by Alderman Miguel, and will be posted at a later date.
As you may know the Ways and Means committiee is a recomending body to the BOA, and as such nothing adpoted or discussed today is set in stone. The full BOA will be given a full report on the subjects, and will have to vote on each one prior to their taking effect.
I was happy to see two Aldermen in attendence who were not required to be there. Aldermen Nieder, and Roby were there, and asking very good questions, as well as former Alderman Maddox who made the presentation on the salries (well done Don!)
I wish we had seen a Ward Two Alderman in the audience as well, but, hey you can't have everything (at least two of us citizens were from ward 2.)
Speaking of the audience there were only three of us besides the afore mentioned. That's sad! So many of the posts on this blog refer to the way money is being spent, but only three people showed up to suggest anything different.
There were several more points that I know I missed here, but Burke Wasson from the Call was there, so we will get "the rest of the story" next week!
Tom Ford
Thank you for the information! We appreciate it.
Tom, thank for your report.
I want to be sure I understand what your saying in the 3rd paragraph.
Going back to one checking account is the way it was done in past before Greer/Madrid changed it to a seperate checking account for each tax fund. The reason that was done was to stop the com-mingling of the funds as that allowed for example, Capital Improvment tax dollars to be spent illeagly on General Fund Expenses, without the Alderman approving the spending, transfer. or borrowing of the funds from one fund to another.
Is it your impression that this what
the City is going to do? I hope your impression is wrong on this matter, not for political reasons, but for legal and good accounting reasons. This would be in my view, a dangerous step backwards from were we have painfully traveled over the last 4 years. To be blunt, this tied in with the mayors quotes given in this weeks Call worries me that there is something they are trying to hid.
Your thoughts please, as you were there.
So the pay plan that was created at the request of city employees may be scrapped for a COLA. This proposal will be GRRREAAT for employee morale and the retentention rate. While one may argue that a few pennies now is better than nothing, in the long run the budget will be balanced on the backs of the lower paid employees -- 3% of $35,000 is a lot fewer dollars than 3% of $85,000. I bet that the new City Administrator loves this proposal. Further, it does away with merit pay which means the elimination of any incentive to work hard -- a payoff by the mayor to the Fire Fighters union.
To the 4:15 blogger: I believe that the suggestion was to drop all but the main checking account. In the past as you stated, there were three or four accounts (one for each fund,) and, if adopted, now there will be only one.
This type of accounting will save the City a nice sum of money, and it can, and will be tracked by the finance officer to insure the correct bills, from the correct fund's are paid on time.
In a business suitiation I have but one checking account to pay the bills. While we have at least eight line items on a spread sheet they are all paid from one account.
The only thing this requires is the supervision of the accounting staff to insure the bills are paid on time, and the collected funds are deposited on time. Oh, and one other thing, TRUST!
After listening to Ms. Tate, and Mr. Meyers, I believe we now have the right people in place to do this! In the past, I would never have recommended this idea for what are now obvious reasons, but now, I have no quams what so ever.
We cann'ot have the past concerns dictate the future in Crestwood. We must recover our sense of trust, no matter how hard that may be. I told the commission that whatever they do, the Prop. "s" funds must be used to pay off the debt, period, or the citizens will never have any trust in them in the future!
I believe we now have good people in office who will watch out for us (I mentioned Aldermen who were there,) and a Mayor, and C/A who want this City to succeed, and I am behind them 100%, what say you, do we get on board for Crestwood, or ?
Tom Ford
To the 5:06 blogger: Why not wait and see what actually comes out of this? This is a "recommending body" only, nothing is set in stone!
Tom Ford
I am not happy with the step backwards in our accounting process as you have reported. In the past when we had Wubbels and Kent in charge is when we started with the problems. They mixed up the funds and didnt give true balances of the money the city had. People who are now in place we may trust, but as I am sure you have noticed, people leave and when they do all hell can breakout of their replacements are not on top of the game. Or understand what was agreed to and promised when they take over.
I understand you can do a single account in business, but this is government and the rules are different. We can not allow co-mingling of the seperate funds, it may allow for the breaking of the law. We can not allow the govt of Crestwood to spend $ from one fund for another and then claim the budget is balanced. I would urge all readers to contact their Aldermen and voice their concern with this dangerous step backwards. This issue is much larger in the short and long run than anything that has occured since the increase in property tax was passed.
Final note, just how much money is being claimed will be saved? Is the bank charging the City more for a checking account than they do a private citizen or business? Does our current bank pay the City interest on the funds in the checking account to in part off set the "cost" of more than one checking account? We need to be asking these questions NOW.
Boss Hog ran on the slogan, "Bring Back Crestwood". He is sure bustin' his buns with his merry men to bring back the Crestwood of Brasfield, Leichliter and Weubbels when the roots of Crestwood's current financial crisis were vigorously growing in 2001 and 2002. Disregarding the financial past with comingling funds, poor employee pay, etc. will result in Crestwood painfully reliving
its financial problems and ultimately lead to the destruction of the promise of its future.
Don't forget - Fagan was on the board during that time as was Robertson - and Robertson became mayor in 2002 and left abruptly in 2004. Then Breeding and Fagan.
I have no idea how you can see the enemy behind every tree!
Good grief, please allow the elected officials the opportunity to work through this! Look at the City roster, this is a new crew, an honest crew, give them a chance for goodness sake!
Tom Ford
No, we can not allow the elected officals to work through this, it is that important. I agree with bloger 5:06, also, didnt the State Audit performed onthe Crestwood books include in their recommendations the setting up of seperat checking accounts for the different tax funds?
Are you asking the City to over look that recomendation as a part of "not allowing past concerns to dictate the future of Crestwood"? I am willing to recover my sense of trust, but I am not willing to forget the results of the State Audit to do so. Also, the accounting staff at City Hall, do we have such a thing anymore? Or will we have to hire more people which increases our payroll out of the General Fund. Maybe we should have the accounting done by a our source company?
As for Fagan and Robertson, I also havent for gotten they were the ones who found out the problems of City due to all the tax funds being put into one checking account. Again, the State Audit is very clear on their being opposed to the City doing this. It is not a smart move.
Whoooooaaaa! You talkin numbers? Well I aint learned them yet. Ya see, Iam a crestwould resident and eye just donno numbers. Only da mayors smart enuf 2 know dem, aint he?
The Forensic Auditors were the initial auditors to recommend the stopping of the comingling of funds and the State Auditor agree and recommemded the further use of additional checking accounts.
Putting everything in one big pot will make everything more difficult to track, audit, and organize.
After everything that has happened in the city, I'm appalled that this was even suggested. Going to a single checking account would be a disastrous step backward.
If this is approved, a major change in leadership needs to take place.
Sincerely,
A former Robinson supporter
One bank account? Wasn't this one of the things that the Greer/Robertson duo claimed nearly bankrupted the city?
Poster 6:34... I'd be carefully with your claims about what Leichliter and Weublles did or didn't do. Didn't we just spend $600k and four years claiming they did all these bad things and then at the end of the day we have to pay one them $250k to settle a lawsuit that was filed by the City?
Personally, while I believe some mistakes were made by Leichliter (For allowing Weubbles to stay when he was medically not able to do his job.) and Weubbles (For not admitting that he could no longer do his job.), I think, by far, the most damage to the City's finances was done by Greer/Madrid. They’re the ones who for nearly four years, rang up millions in outside debt and gave away the tittles to City Hall and Garage. Greer failed miserably in his second attempt as a City Administrator just has he will for a third time in his new gig on the East Side. But then both of them walked away with bags full of our money, so maybe they didn’t fail.
Poster 11:41 A historical time line does not support your plea to not blame Leicliter/Wubbels for current money crunch in City.
It was this duo who lead the Alderman to approved the ill thought out police station deal, not Greer who was police chief not CA at that time or Madrid who wasnt employeed by the city. It was this duo who led the Aldermen to ask the voters approve the extention on the sunset on the capital improvements sales tax to fund the police station by the sale of bonds.
The end of the litagaton for L&W does not change what the State Auditors said in their $58,000 report about the use of a single checking account for all city tax funds.It was while they were on duty that the tax dollars started to dry up and they did nothing about it. They even went so far as to ok the current pay system which is now under review.
I believe based on what I have read in the papers that the City's case against L&W was a good one but the seperation agreement with Kent prevented the case from winning in court. It not that it wasnt a just suit on its own, the problem was the no fault clause prevented any later legal action agains L&W once they were gone and the auditors were able to really go through the city's books. That is when the short comings were found out.
But the real issue now before us is simple, is it a good idea to return to a single checking account based on what we now know and have experanced in the past? It is not were Greer/Madrid or L/W the bad eggs! Let's stay focused on that and not get side tracked.
P.S. You know thatLiechliter walked away with a bag full of money, dont you?
11:41 AM You conveniently omit the fact that the auditors who audited the 2001 and 2002 city finances paid $170,000 to settle the lawsuit against them
by Crestwood. They were auditing Leichliter and Wuebbels work. Futher the State Audit states: "The former city administrator and former finance officer (Leichliter and Weubbels) did not prepare and present adequate financial reports to the Board to allow them to properly monitor the financial position of the city. City personnel indicated that previously the city's Finance Department submitted an operations report to the Board periodically, which would generally give information concerning projects, developments and events of the city. Currently, the Finance Department includes a schedule of bank account balances, an accounts payable report, and a payroll report to the Board monthly and a cash basis budget to actual statement quarterly.
The Board can not adequately monitor the financial position of the city without periodic budget to actual reports and complete financial reports. An adequate budget to actual report would help ensure budgets were not overspent and funds were available for expenditures. This report should include a reconciliation of the fund balances to the bank balances to allow the Board to ensure all funds are properly funded."
Does hizzoner understand these reports?? Oops, I forgot hizzoner doesn't understand numbers. By the way didn't Greer and Madrid regularly prepare those reports mentioned in the State Audit and post them on the city website for the residents?? And didn't they also prepare the proposed 2006 budget (this year's) and post it on the website??? Is the current administration doing these things as well now?? Inquiring minds want the numbers.
To the 2:59 PM, August 06, 2006 blogger - Way to go! Facts to backup your opinion - Love it!
Hopefully the BOA will NOT eliminate the separate bank accounts for the individual funds. That is part of the reason Crestwood got into trouble in the first place.
Not having to pay as much interest on the line of credit would NOT be a reason to streamline the accounts into one. That means funds from one account will be "borrowed" from another account until the revenues in that fund could "pay the bills owed". Talk about paying Peter to pay Paul!
As some have suggested, maybe Crestwood needs another audit to keep the present Administration in line.
Please contact your alderman and stop this idea.
5:10 August 6 Blogger
Apparently you don't understand much either. However, you are extremely good with the BS. You definitely sound like one of the injured ex-officials who is still smarting.
If you are so concerned about the reports and the finances and the Mayors understanding of the facts, I would have to suggest you trot up to city hall and get your answers. You really need the facts before you start accusing people. Without all the facts, your comments are all pure politics, sour grapes and total lack of information.
If you think the former CA and FO and administration did such a red hot job, pray tell how is it they failed to see train coming even with the help of 2 audits? How big a secret was it that revenue was down, stores were leaving and that residents would never approve of a BMW for the PC/CA. Now, if you had the wisdom to predict a lean future would you have pushed the $14.5 Million dollar city hall rehab with an immense Police Chief's Office and then pushed the vote to rent at the Plaza while it got built? Would you have purchased a $120,000 software program that no one could make work? How about the $1800 desk chair for the ex-Mayor now being used by the city clerk? You see, sir, you didn't want to see all this, but the bank saw it and guess what, they hold the titles to our city hall and public works property and we are 3.5 Million dollars in debt. A sad state of affairs I'd say, even though you seem to think these wonder boys did such a splendid job. Sir, what rock were you under when all this was hapapening?
I am willing to bet if all your pals were still at the helm, and at the rate they were going, we would no longer have a fire or police department, and city employees would realize that the Camelot you thought was there, was a nightmare, not a dream.
So next time you want to criticize the present powers that be, just try to think about how hard they are trying to keep your property values stable. If this is not important to you - why are you here. By the sounds of things, you sure don't like Crestwood very much. At any rate, they have not had enough time to right all the wrongs. Not considering the mess your pals made of it.
Jimmy? Is that you? Jimmy???
Dear 9:18 poster,
The issue here is the change in account process, not who bought what car with what money, etc. Our current mayor is on record stating he isnt a numbers man, but again that is not the issue.
This blogs owner has asked over and over again for us to move forward, yet you want to rehash the past while you ignore this very vital issue. One can only guess your reason for doing so, but as long as your living in the past your will have no impact on today.
Also, remember this fact, if Kent was not giving the Aldermen the information they needed then how could they have know that the sales tax revenue was down? Again look at the findings of the state audit, that is what we must avoid doing today.
Well, it's good to have my suspicions proven correct. This is what Foote, Ford and the mayor have been maneuvering for all along - the whole purpose of defeasing the bonds for the police station was to spend that money on general expenditures. With all the money in one pot these will be very easy to do. And the naive citizens voted a tax increase to pay the debt! When will people learn? And to think the city administrator was voted in unanimously to show cooperation by all factions. This is a disgrace. Someone needs to contact the state auditors' office immediately.
Tom,
The reason for the consolidation of the checking accounts is for Federal loans for capital improvements as stated my City Administrator Frank Myers.
Please ask Frank Myers what are the Federal Guidelines that the City of Crestwood needs to set for Capital Improvements.
Tom,
How many residents are not paying?
Are these the elderly or disabled or the "winter birds"?
Can someone evaluate the actual trash cost for single families versus mulitple familes.
Since the majority of Crestwood citizens are single family, maybe the Onyz bid may need to be re-evaluated.
Tom,
Alderman Miguel had a list of future subjects for the Ways and Means Committee.
Maybe you can post Alderman Miguel's list for all to read.
Why isn't the Ways and Means a standard committee which meets on a regular basis?
Alderman Breeding suggestion needs to be posted about selling the city's property and leasing the property back to the city of Crestwood.
Selling the property and then leasing has been addressed by the BOA last year. I don't believe that this is Alderman Breeding's idea but previous board members.
More debt and this time with the Feds? Will they then hold the title to City Hall?
I thought we had turned the corner?
I thought the property tax increase was going to pay down our debt?
We need more information and time to study before we can back this plan.
Sell property and lease it back? City would have to have a lending instution willing to make the loan to have that work. Know of any out there ready to lend Crestwood more money and saddle us with more debt?
Freeze hiring and payraises, even COLA's is the only thing that will work.
11:19 a.m. blogger. Greer and Robertson claims WHAT almost bankrupt the city? Hold it right there! They claimed we were almost in bankrupcy but supported a 14 million dollar police facility. So they were willing to put the blame on others for the dwindling funds but said OK to spending money on a police facility, archtectural renderings and the cost of almost allowing the employees to have to work in Crestwood Plaza until the restructuring was done? What kind of mixed up, goof-ball sense does that make?
This sounds like the Robinson/ Meyers/ Miguel machine at work hard. They DON'T understand the numbers, it is painfully obvious if you would ATTEND THE BOARD meetings. Robinson saying he isn't a 'numbers man' is a massive understatement on his part.
Now they want to simplify by putting all their bingo earnings in one pot and sort out the pennies on the table so they can count them. Talk about flying back in time. Are the erasers worn down on their pencils?
We had just come out of a long struggle to clarify our finances, had addressed every issue on a very serious state auditors report, and now we are untying all the knots. Smart, very smart.
Tom,
Please verify from Alderman Miguel if this list was his suggestions for future topics for Ways and Means Committee:
1. license fees
2. encumberances
3. Internal Balances
4. Accounting of CID's, TDD's, and TIF's
Tom,
Please obtain a list of goals by City Administrator Frank Myers such as:
1. Multi year obligations change from 5-7 years to 20-30 years
2. Market this bond obligation without the deed of trust with Government Center
3. Note Obligation tax-exempt over 6-7 years - save $50,000 plus in interest
4. Struct debt to finance overall cost
5. eliminate need of line of credit
Tom,
Please verify with City Administrator Frank Myers the "legal hurdles" in obtaining his goals for refinancing the city of Crestwood's debt:
1. Missouri Constitution law on General Obligation debt pertaining to debt that extends over 13 months needs voter approval
http://www.moga.state.mo.us/const/A06026a.HTM
http://www.mobar.org/journal/1999/novdec/jarrett.htm
http://www.moga.state.mo.us/const/A06023.HTM
2. worried about Rolling over debt
3. Federal law requirements for purchasing tax-exempt bonds is to review the operational debt of our city to be accepted for federal general obligation bonds for capital projects
4. Borrow debt by paying low interest can be under the "Arbitrage Law"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbitrage Definition of Arbitrage
Professional Services for Multi Year General Obligation will be an annual cost of $4,000 for Legal fees to Gilmore Bell Law Firm and an annual cost of $5,000 to Carl Ramey, Stifel Nicolaus & Company financial advisor.
http://www.gilmorebell.com/About.htm
http://www.stifel.com/framesetURL.asp?URL=/homepageFrameset.asp
Tom,
What are the two outstanding lawsuits that are still pending for the City of Crestwood?
When will they be settled?
Please let us know.
thanks
Tom,
How much was our Financial Advisor cost for 2005?
Who would know this answer?
Is it true that your Financial Advisor costs should decrease after the bond is sold? The annual fee should be less on the second year.
Poster 1:42
THE BONDS HAD BEEN SOLD, THE FUNDING WAS THROUGH THE EXTENTION OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS SALES TAX SUNSET, THE MONEY WAS IN THE BANK COLLECTING INTRERST. THE POLICE STATION WAS IN EFFECT PAID FOR. AND KENT L. WAS THE C/A WHEN THE IDEA FOR THE POLICE STATION AND THE SELLING OF THE BONDS TOOK PLACE.
in reading the most recent posts to this blog it would seem that Mr. Ford is using it to jump start his run for ward two alderman in april 2007.
question for Mr. Ford, should the city go to one checking account like you reported they were thinking of doing? If so why and how does that sit with what the state audit told us?
Tom, how can we get the papers for another State Petition Audit? This thread clearly indicates that Crestwood's finances are in disarray and the residents need answers to questions about serious financial mismanagement. Why has it taken the Ways and Means Committee so long to raise serious issues and address residents' concerns???
Why hasn't anyone but me picked up on Tom Ford's comment that "We cann'ot have the past concerns dictate the future in Crestwood." That's simply outrageous! Do you really expect us to just forget how much we hate don greer and tom fagan? I for one will never move forward! They need to pay for what they did forever!
I, for one am glad to tell you that Mr. Ford will not be running for dog catcher, much less Ward Two Alderman! And you can take that to the bank, as they say!
What do I think of the "one check book" idea? Well I think it's not a problem as long as we have honest and competent people running the store. What if we all had seperate check books for utilities, grocery's, payments? We would be looked upon as "Excentric". So, pray tell why does the City need several?
I know, checks and balances, right? Well if we have done our homework and elected the right people to the BOA, ETC. that should be in place now. I think we have all the oversight we need if our elected officials do their job's, if not, well no ammount of check books will help us!
It dosen't sit with the State audit recommendations at all, but that was then, is there a difference now, I hope so.
There have been a number of great questiobns asked here, and I am going to send an E-mail to the officials named requesting answers to them so I can post them on this blog.
I know a lot of you think that I am "plugged in" to City hall, but that's not the way it is at all. I simply ask the right people for answers, and I get them the same as you would if you were to ask.
Tom Ford
"Why hasn't anyone but me picked up on Tom Ford's comment that 'We cann'ot have the past concerns dictate the future in Crestwood.' That's simply outrageous!"
INDEED Tom Ford! That was outrageous! You put an apostrophe between the n and the o in cannot where there is none needed!
Ok, let me get this straight. We degreased James Bonds, the police station will be made a drive-thru, and someone is calling the mayor Boss Hogg? Where's Daisy Duke?
Why hasn't anyone but me picked up on Tom Ford's comment that 'We cann'ot have the past concerns dictate the future in Crestwood.' That's simply outrageous!"
INDEED Tom Ford! That was outrageous! You put an apostrophe between the n and the o in cannot where there is none needed!
Mea Culpa! What would my bride the retired english teacher say?
OUTRAGEOUS! Inded it was, how could I
? I am so ashamed!
Tom Ford
here is the 2006 budget site.
http://www.ci.crestwood.mo.us/docs/departments/administrative/2006%20budget.pdf
Tom Ford
4:01 PM Blogger 8/7 Your comment is all well and good BUT - then they found out that we were broke, fired Leichliter and the Finance Guy. If you find out that you are broke, do you go out and still buy the Million Dollar House you are pursuing or do you "back off" for awhile?
You don't honestly believe that a new police facility was Leichliter's idea do you? Who would get to wallow in having this new, state of the art facility? Don Greer that's who. Don Greer got anything he wanted from Kent, all he had to do was ask.
Secondly, you notice that nothing was said about A NEW BUILDING FOR the other part of our safety and welfare department, the Fire Department. Can't you see why? Because Don Greer only cared about HIS department. The Fire Department had to settle for a second-hand fire truck a few years before. Why? Because we didn't have any money for a new one. Did the aldermen know it? Sure they did, they had to approve it.
SO, WHY IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO SETTLE FOR A SECOND HAND FIRE TRUCK YEARS BEFORE, WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE WANT A 14 MILLION DOLLAR POLICE FACILITY? IT MAKES NO SENSE.
YOU SAY WE HAD THE MONEY? HOW COULD WE SUSTAIN THIS NEW, ELABORATE POLICE STATION SINCE OUR SALES TAXES ARE AND WERE IN THE TOILET. WHO IN HIGH HEAVEN WOULD EVEN THINK THAT WAY. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN, KENT LIECHLITER AND ALL OF THEM WERE BAMBOOZLED BY DON GREER WANTING HIS KINGDOM. GREER COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO COULD GET NOTHING FROM THE BUDGET THAT THEY NEEDED AND HAD TO MAKE DUE WITH WHAT THEY HAD. BUT OH NOT MR. GREER! HE LOVED TO PARADE AROUND LIKE HE WAS SPECIAL SO HE COULD AND DID LOOK DOWN HIS NOSE AT THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND ALL YOU PEOPLE JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET IT.
ALSO, ANSWER ME - WHY DID THE BOARD FINALLY VOTE 8-0 TO GET RID OF GREER AND HIS CO-PARTNER? THEY MUST HAVE ALL COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION, A LITTLE TOO LATE, THAT WE HAD A REAL SOCIOPATH ON OUR HANDS. GET REAL AND WAKE UP.
Thanks for listening.
Wow. Talk about getting off the subject. I think we need to be less concerned about what has happened and more concerned about whether mixing these funds into one account is the best thing for us now. I understand not all of us believe the motives of the two previous administrations were always good. But how comfortable can you be with reverting back to the system that screwed us in the first place? It didn't work before. What makes you believe it can work now? I understand a lot of us have faith in this administration and this mayor. But the simple truth is they're not practicing what they had preached. All this co-mingling and shifting funds that the mayor has criticized is now ironically what he wants to do. I hope this administration comes up with the right system for Crestwood. Frankly, I just think we need to be questioning the proposed one a little more. Good to see that on here from both sides.
"will be tracked by the finance officer to insure the correct bills, from the correct fund's are paid on time."
The City of Crestwood does NOT have a finance director (unless you were refering to J. Tate - assitant to the CA). We don't even have an employee that performs the monthly journal entries!
1:14 8/8 Please don't misunderstand me. I too do not want to have things repeated that were wrong in the past. I just think that we should hold the board of aldermen accountable for helping us out here. You should know that we are sometimes overlooked and just a small cog in the wheel. Our board members need to be told that putting everything in one pot is not to our liking. They need to know they are not practicing what they preached.
I don't mean to ponder over previous administrations, but a lot of people on this blog are all too happy to condemn this administration while they let the previous ones get away with everything. I agree with you that
we need to be asking questions and through our aldermen we should let them know that we are not happy with this. They are the ones who are suppose to see that our views are heard.
Thanks.
2:52 pm 8/8. Because we don't have the money to hire one. If you got any extra cash sitting around, maybe you can foot the bill for a new finance person. You think we can hire one for peanuts?
I agree with poster 1:14, well said!
Poster 3:15 question for you. Since money is short at City hall:
Should the Mayor have asked the Aldermen to hire a new police chief or a new finance officer?
Aldermen are meeting tonight. What do you say we tell them and the mayor and the C/A and everyone in this administration our concerns tonight? There's a lot of good thoughts and ideas here. Don't let them go to waste. Be heard!
According to Mr. For, our founding fathers read this site?
3:31 pm 8/8 The safety and welfare of the people and to keep them out of harms way should always be a priority. Police and Fire both are very important. How can we put the safety of citizens on the back burner? But, I do hope that a finance person will be forthcoming. Crime however, never takes a holiday. Should that not be a priority? Maybe I am wrong! Maybe this number person is more important! But if you have children who go in and out of your house am and pm, and for the sake of keeping our homes safe from intruders and theft and fire-related catastropies, I think police and fire both should be #1.
Thanks.
4:00pm blogger, that's "City fathers, our founding fathers are no doubt DRT (dead right there.)
2:52 blogger, we have Justina Tate as a finance officer, and she seems to be doing very well so far.
The BOA meeting is tonight at 7:00PM, why not attend? I will not be there, so there will be an extra seat (or two.)
Why won't I be there, well because I am "worn out" this week. I am in the HVAC business, and I have been on the go since two weeks ago, and I need the peace and quiet that a BOA meeting will not have.
I do thank all of you for attending in my stead though. It seems we have finally "turned the cornor" in citizen participation, and it's great to see democracy in action!
Tom Ford
5:24 PM August 5 Whatever happened to Ronaldus Magnus and "TRUST BUT VERIFY"???
5:24 blogger, indeed, trust but verify souuld be the order of the day! "Ronaldus Maximus" was not wrong there, and neither would we be if we invoke the same principal!
It's not that I don't trust the overseers of the loot, but I would like an explination if I want one.
As Everett Dirkson once said, "a billion here, a billion there, before you know it, it's real money"!
Tom Ford
Does anyone know if the BOA or the Ways and Means committee were provided actual financial statement (income and expenses)?
According to the State Audit they should be reviewing budget to actual financial statements on a periodic basis. We are in the 8th month of the year. Have they been provided with this information?
Call or email your aldermen or members of the Ways and Means and find out.
Do we have the means to find the way?
Good one - I like that! :) Great play on words!
Is this Justina qualified to be a finance director? Doesn't the finance director also serve as personnel director? Is she qualified to do that? Didn't Mr. Greer hire Justina? Seems to me like she is having a lot of responsibility thrown on her that she may not be qualified to perform.
Since the city went through a major state audit, shouldn't we have a certified public accountant serving in this position, or at least someone with a formal education in government finance? I also heard that the city recently lost it's accountant, where does that leave our finance department, and why did we lose yet another employee since the Robinson/Meyers duo took the helm.
I too am curious why we hired a police chief when we didn't have a formal finance director. Having this woman perform multiple roles is no different than having the city administrator also be the police chief. Don't we have a well-qualified fire chief? Why couldn't he have served as a public safety manager for both departments? Has there ever been discussion about combining these departments?
Lastly, I learned we are still several officers low in our police department. When will these positions be filled, and has the board of aldermen ever pursued the discussion of contracting with St. Louis County Police to reduce expenses?
Why has Ms. Tate given the mayor access to the city employees' personnel records?
Lay off Justina Tate. She's working hard and she's got a better idea of where our finances are than Myers or Robinson and the entire BOA, I'll tell you that much.
post 11:14, great thinking out side the box, a director of City safety. I like that a lot. I bet it would work. couldnt be any worse that what the mayor appointed.
Wanna run for mayor when the recall of this mayor is over?
12:15 8/11 Cheap shots, cheap shots. You're so funny, you are killing me I am laughing so hard.
Maybe you might run for Mayor if they recall this mayor. You seem to be humous enough for the job.
You fall into the category of "nit wit" of the year. I can just see the newspaper "nit wit" wins mayoral election. There are various over the counter remedies for constipation you must try. You are carrying a very heavy load. Better take care of it.
Play nice kiddies or the blog master will erase you!
Tom Ford
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