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Date Posted: Wednesday, October28, 11:43:am
Author: Concerned Citizen
Subject: City Budget

Following this forum is sometimes insightful and other times just a good laugh. For this forum to be taken seriously by elected officials, City dept heads, and the taxpayers then accurate information needs to be posted and incorrect comments should be pointed out, instead of added to. A recent posting gave the salaries and names of police and fire employees and the poster was slammed for breaking NYS laws. If that is the case, then why is it listed in PUBLIC budgets throughout the state. Granted, some municipalities do not list the name of the employee in their budgets, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the name of the Police Chief, Fire Chief, or any other employee based on the position. Anyone can get a copy of any municipal budget in most states and figure out who makes what amount. This, after all is a public document and therefor available to the public. The fact that the City does not post the detailed budget for the public really doesn't matter....it is available at City Hall and the Library. Another post criticized the executive session with the fire union. ALL personnel discussions are to be discussed in executive sessions. Did anyone ever think that the reason for this executive session might have been to ask the fire union to take some cuts from the current contract? Give the City the benefit of doubt that MAYBE there were some good intentions taking place during executive session. I haven't seen any complaints when personnel issues are raised during council meetings and discussed, instead of adjourning to executive sessions. People seem to forget that the previous manager was terminated and had to read the action in public session of City Council. The discussion to terminate was done in both executive and public session. Until the residents of Newburgh begin to point out ALL actions done by elected officials and dept heads, rather than just the ones they find troubling, nothing will change. I have seen posters take shots at dept heads in this forum and yet no one seems to question whether other dept heads are qualified for their positions. If you take the time to read the charter and job qualifications required by the position you will see that the City could save some money by hiring a "qualified" public works director, with an engineering degree and not need a full-time engineering dept. The City went yrs with an outside consulting engineer and we can all see what that has brought us. EI: the Court house building to name one example. So the City fires the consultant and then wants to hire 2 positions to replace it? A better idea would have to been to hire 1 assistant engineer and 1 qualified public works director with an engineering degree. Someone questioned what the new position in the water dept was for. This is for a second deputy director! The position was advertised almost a year ago and is showing up in next year's budget again. Another way the City tries to confuse things for the public is in re-organizing departments year after year, with different titles of employees and shifting some to other departments. What elected officials do not seem to pick up on that each time there is an organizational change recommended, the bottom line for them is "How much money do we save". It should be "does this improve services and if so, how". It is time to look back in time and see just what these changes have done for the betterment of the City, if any. An excellent example of this is Human Services. They just reorganized under the previous administration and now they are recommending another change. This is also being recommended for a department that doesn't even exist according to the current City Charter. There are several other positions and/or departments that aren't specified in the Charter. Maybe it is time for the Charter to be updated. It is easy to criticize, it takes time to criticize with "accurate" criticism. City Council also needs to start having meetings that are run according to the Charter and also by Robert's Rules of order. Maybe then we will benefit overall. Other municipalities have a sign in sheet for any public comment, which helps reduce the number of personal slams at elected officials and employees. Every resident has the right to speak in a public meeting, but what is done here is a circus that needs to be addressed. The old saying that you can't beat City Hall no longer exists...it just requires more homework and better preparation and presentation by the speaker. In closing, please take the time to post accurate comments here and stop using this forum as place to "slam" people. Then, and only then will this forum benefit the City at large. Thank you.

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