http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20111031/NEWS02/710319947
Published October 31, 2011 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield eyes budget committee membership
By SUSAN SMALLHEER
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — A new but old policy adopted by the Springfield Select Board effectively bans the participation of town employees from the town budget review committee, a change from recent history.
And that has one select board member, and possibly two, questioning the policy’s wisdom.
In an effort to reinvigorate the budget review process, the Select Board has been actively recruiting committee members, and following the original Committee of 18 ordinance from the 1970s.
The Committee of 18 was the town-appointed budget review group for both town and school budgets, but its numbers have dwindled dramatically in recent years.
Last week, the board appointed four new members to the committee, bring its membership up to 10 people. New members include Everett Hammond, James Soucy, Kathy Benson and Al Tessier.
Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris noted that the Committee of 18 ordinance excludes town employees.
Town Manager Robert Forguites said that former or retired town employees may be members, but if they are current employees, they do not qualify for appointment. Likewise, family members are not allowed on the committee.
But Morris noted that the town had allowed town employees to participate in the recent couple of years, and that town employees had valuable contributions to make.
Select Board member Terri Benton, whose husband James has been on the budget committee and who is also a captain in the fire department, said that the past three years “had set a precedent.”
“They pay taxes the same,” said Benton.
“I don’t see it as an issues. I don’t see it as a problem,” said Benton, noting the board was advisory only.
“I don’t see it as a problem,” said Select Board member Michael Knoras. “Let your conscience be your guide.”
The board had voted last month to endorse the Committee of 18 guidelines at the urging of Knoras, who wanted to revitalize the budget review process.
The board is now shooting for 15 members on the budget group..
Morris noted that the town was looking for a wide variety of people to serve on the budget group and that each board member was supposed to recruit three members of the public.
Town Clerk Meredith Kelley noted she had turned away one applicant for the budget committee because that person was a town employee.
Select Board member John Swanson said he thought the town should follow the established guidelines for the budget group.
“I think we should adhere to the guidelines — no family members or current employees,” said Swanson.
O.k.
ReplyDeleteJust so we all get this straight...
You are ALSO not supposed to sleep with your cousin.
Here is the basic premise that I feel residents in Springfield miss: Self-dealing and nepotism. Participating as a municipal employee in a matter in which you, your immediate family, your business organization, or your future employer has a financial interest is prohibited.
ReplyDeleteA municipal employee may not participate in any particular matter in which he or a member of his immediate family (parents, children, siblings, spouse, and spouse’s parents, children, and siblings) has a financial interest. He also may not participate in any particular matter in which a prospective employer, or a business organization of which he is a director, officer, trustee, or employee has a financial interest. Participation includes discussing as well as voting on a matter, and delegating a matter to someone else
A financial interest may create a conflict of interest whether it is large or small, and positive or negative. In other words, it does not matter if a lot of money is involved or only a little. It also does not matter if you are putting money into your pocket or taking it out. If you, your immediate family, your business, or your employer have or has a financial interest in a matter, you may not participate. The financial interest must be direct and immediate or reasonably foreseeable to create a conflict. Financial interests which are remote, speculative or not sufficiently identifiable do not create conflicts.
Example of violation: A school committee member’s wife is a teacher in the town’s public schools. The school committee member votes on the budget line item for teachers’ salaries.
Example of violation: A member of a town affordable housing committee is also the director of a non-profit housing development corporation. The non-profit makes an application to the committee, and the member/director participates in the discussion.
Example: A planning board member lives next door to property where a developer plans to construct a new building. Because the planning board member owns abutting property, he is presumed to have a financial interest in the matter. He cannot participate unless he provides the State Ethics Commission with an opinion from a qualified independent appraiser that the new construction will not affect his financial interest
For far too long these types of ethical violations have occurred in town-Take a look at the school system for example. You have staff members families getting contracts to do business with the school, you have board members who are employed by the school. I cannot tell you the times it happens and it runs the town budget and school budgets amuck!
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