|
Newly elected Dewey Beach Commissioner Marc Appelbaum called for fiscal responsibility and accountability as the town considers instituting a new budget process. Appelbaum called for holding not only Town Manager Gordon Elliott accountable, but also town commissioners as well. He said the commissioners should have a budget and they should stay within it.
“If the town manager is going to be responsible for the budget, he can’t have a surprise of $50,000 in legal fees,” Appelbaum said. “He cannot be held accountable for those expenses he cannot control.”
Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Dale Cooke said he supports the plan, and that holding the commissioners to a budget is not a new idea. “I’ve said at numerous meetings the commissioners should be responsible for every dime they direct be spent,” Cooke said.
Town representatives and budget committee members took a close look at Appelbaum’s plan during the Friday, Sept. 26 meeting. Dewey’s budget shortfall has been estimated at nearly $800,000, but Elliott said it takes about $2.5 million to run the town and with revenues at about $1.9 million, the deficit would be about $600,000.
The process proposed by Appelbaum asks the budget and finance committee to establish a feasible budget target for next year. For example, he said, with a $700,000 deficit in 2008 the committee might set the target at a $200,000 deficit for 2009.
The town manager would meet with department heads to prepare a budget that meets that goal. If unable to do so, the manager would have to tell the committee why not.
The budget and finance committee would then analyze the proposed budget, and the commissioners would be required to review and approve it by consensus.
More revenue
The town’s 2008 revenue could be $200,000 more than previously reported, said Elliott, noting a problem processing credit card transactions for parking permits that could result in an additional $53,000.
An investigation is under way, he said. The town could be forced to process charge cards manually and could forfeit charges processed more than 60 days after they were made.
Unpaid 2008 parking tickets, 7,547 of them, could bring in an additional $231,000, Elliott reported.
Town staff members are pulling the tickets and sending letters threatening to turn the matter over to a collection agency. Violators should also be aware plans call for booting or towing cars with unpaid tickets.
Recovering those two items could significantly reduce the deficit, said budget committee member David King. “This is not a crisis,” King added.
During the Sept. 20 election, voters approved two charter changes, including one allowing an accommodations tax of up to 3 percent. Tush said she is pushing the town attorney to have a bill for charter amendment before the General Assembly in January, and the town is preparing to do everything it can to impose the tax as soon as possible.
Potential budget cuts
The police and beach patrol are significant expenses, and that’s where eyes keep turning to look for cuts. Elliott said he believes Police Chief Sam Mackert is at rock bottom, but he is less sure regarding Beach Patrol Capt. Todd Fritchman.
Dewey Beach Commissioner Diane Hanson and King questioned whether 28 lifeguards per day are necessary.
Among Cooke’s concerns are expenditures incurred for attorneys’ and other professional fees. “They keep saying the attorneys’ fees are due to the lawsuits, but no one is watching them,” Cooke said.
The town is charged $350 in fees for two hours spent traveling when a town attorney comes to Dewey. Fritchman said that the average base wage for a lifeguard is $440 a week.
If you want to attend:
The next meeting of the Dewey Beach Budget and Finance Committee will be at 10 a.m., Monday, Oct. 6, at the Lifesaving Station located at 1 Dagsworthy Ave.
Call 227-6363 for information or go to townofdeweybeach.com.
|
