From this week's edition of the Downbeach Current, there comes encouraging news about the Ventnor budget, courtesy of interviews with Commissioner Piatt who is tasked with the Finance area in Ventnor. The fiscal year 2008 had two different administrations in office, and the Audit results pointed to various areas in need of correction. The areas of poor performance appear to have been inherited situations. As to these areas, it appears, corrections were already being put in place by the new administration by year-end.
The articles also note that Ventnor, at $2.5 million of budget surplus, is showing the best surplus in three years as efforts were made to trim costs from the inherited budget of 2008 and after surplus hit a low mark of $0 in 2006.
Contract negotiations have been one area demanding attention from the city administration, as wages and benefits were negotiated. Staffing levels under those contracts are now being reviewed to determine whether personnel levels are "under" or "at" or "over" levels supported by justification.
In other news of the past week, at the Commission meeting held Thursday, the Commissioners went into executive session to discuss what were minimally announced topics (as is appropriate). These related to personnel action involving unknown employee(s) and the matter of the ambulance's diesel engine vis-a-vis warranty. Astute readers of the Forums will recall that an anonymous poster wrote that the ambulance had suffered engine damage and opined what its cause was and what the cost of replacement had been. WLV then submitted an OPRA for the invoice because "rumors" need verification, even as First Amendment free speech allows them to be posted here as long as a "no names" approach is followed in respect of what isn't yet substantiated. The City's response advised that the matter was under investigation; it stated the City's belief that the engine had been serviced in accordance with the maintenance manual; the invoice was not produced; an extension of time for response was requested until the matter was clarified through investigation.
That was in February, and it might be that the progress of these Executive Sessions will eventually produce some publicly available information as answers. It is believed that the invoice would become a "public record" -- subject to OPRA -- once it crossed the threshold into City Hall. Its production might have been accompanied by an explanation that it was in dispute. But WLV is not pressing the matter at this time. When the invoice is produced, the amount on it will potentially confirm the poster as an informed source of information if it matches the amount set forth in the post.
04-18-2009, 04:12 PM
PIATT: Encouraging News From Audit/Budget
Linear Mode
