Back on the Sidelines: $4.8 Million Reasons for Two Party Government

Montville Patch said I couldn't blog while I was running for local office but that is past now so I am back and it appears that the Montville Township Committee has given me something to blog about.

First they hired a CFO and after making a splash last year about saying they would save $400,000 by setting new salary guidelines, they went and agreed to pay this person over $16,000 more than the top rate they had established for that position.

At the time they established those rates Committeeman Jim Sandham showed how it would save money, even if the new CFO was paid at the top of the guide. Now they threw away the guide because they claim they couldn't find anyone at the established rate. Either the rate was just a political headline when it was set or they are overpaying now.

The other and far more important issue is the "sudden" appearance of $4.8 Million in surplus in the Water and Sewer Department. The Township Committee at their December meeting received a report showing that this surplus had been built up over the same period of time they raised rates and changed the price of delivery of these services to residents. This report came six weeks after the last election and was, I believe, completely hidden from the people of Montville Township.

As bad as that part is, the township has also been taking money from Water and Sewer for "tax reduction." It appears that an additional $900,000 a year was transferred to the township over the past three years. That makes a total of almost $8 million taken from rate payers in overcharges. The Township Committee's whole argument that they have controlled taxes turns out to have been subsidized by the people who pay for water and sewer service. 

Two members of the Township Committee have touted being CPAs and one more claimed to be a financial expert who believes in transparency. Either they knew and planned this robbery of rate payers so that they could hide real tax increases or they were paying no attention. I will cut some slack for Deb Nielson and Tim Braden. Their areas of experience are in other places. What of their so called Long Term Financial Planning Committee? What of the Condo Association Leadership who apparently just want to get along with the all Republican leadership of the township at the expense of the owners they represent. A lot of people fell down on the job or played the people here but it is really all about One Party Rule. 

If you want honest discussion on the governing body there has to be a challenge to the status-quo. There has to be forced open discussion and that comes from a team B not just a team A.