NORWICH – Unlike the equable atmosphere presented Monday at a public hearing on the draft 2011 budget for Chenango County, yesterday’s meeting to formally adopt the budget was strained by proposed amendments and even personal accusations.
Town of Plymouth Supervisor Jerry Kreiner moved to amend portions of the budget that would have lowered the salary of one employee and cut another’s part-time job. The moves would have kept a position in the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center, one that the Sheriff, himself, has said he will ask to fill next year, and would have saved approximately $12,500 by zeroing out the Traffic budget.
Kreiner, a Republican, said he couldn’t support the proposed budget because it presents a false portrayal of the spending plan for next year. He said Emergency Management Services Director Matt Beckwith’s appointment at the beginning of the year, his move to head the fire department and subsequent release from dispatch were made “in haste.”
“There’s not a real rationale as to why it’s a good move,” he said. “The Sheriff has said several times this (the dispatch) job is a necessary position and will need the funding. He needs adequate staffing.”
Kreiner’s complaints centered on Beckwith’s salary, which, at $57,784, he felt was too much, and he faulted Chairman of the Board Richard B. Decker, R-N. Norwich, for making the January appointment without prior board discussion.
City of Norwich Supervisor James McNeil, a Democrat, seconded Kreiner’s motion to amend the budget.
During discussion, the supervisors from New Berlin, Preston and Smyrna supported Kreiner’s concern about Decker’s appointment, and recommended an investigation into the protocol for making them. New Berlin’s Ross Iannello, who is politically unaffiliated, suggested looking into the rules that govern whether the Finance Committee can pass resolutions without having them heard through the committee system.
Kreiner said zeroing out the Traffic Budget would lighten the tax burden, though minimally. He also pointed out that Traffic Department Director Jan Miles has another part-time job with the county, which wouldn’t be affected.
“It’s a very small part. But it’s a start. We keep having to look at programs, maybe privatization. This is a place to start,” he said.
Town of Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown objected to both of Kreiner’s amendments, and said Beckwith’s appointment was discussed “thoroughly in executive session. “We were all aware of it,” he said, to which Kreiner retorted, “An executive session in November is not the place to pass a budget.”
The board went into a lengthy executive session to discuss personnel matters two weeks ago.
Kreiner’s amendment to lower Beckwith’s salary and fund his previous dispatch position was narrowly defeated, and only by a lack of majority. Those in favor were from both political parties, and included supervisors from the largest population centers: McNeil, Linda E. Natoli, R-City of Norwich; David C. Law, R-Town of Norwich; and William C. Craine, R-Sherburne. Town of Bainbridge Supervisor Dolores Nabinger, whose vote is weighted heaviest of Democrats on the county board, was absent, as was Town of McDonough Supervisor Arrington J. Canor, a Republican. Both have shared Kreiner’s dissatisfaction with Beckwith’s positions and the traffic department.
Brown also supported Miles’ position, saying the Traffic Safety Board, which she administers, wouldn’t be able to function without her position in Traffic. The Safety & Rules Committee plans to review the department’s revenue potential next year, and may very well recommend doing away with the function, said committee Chairman Jack Cook, R-Greene.
Finance Committee Chairman Lawrence Wilcox, R-Oxford, came to Miles’ defense, saying employees deserve notice before being let go. “We need to give them an opportunity to meet the needs of our county. Finance committee left this with the idea we would be watching very closely over the next year to make sure. It’s not proper to just say we aren’t happy with your program and move on. We can’t just cut her salary,” to which Kreiner retorted, “I had mine cut, to zero.”
Wilcox said, “But you could have planned for that.”
