Friday, December 30, 2005
One questioned the practice of taking home township cars.
By KATIE LIBECCO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Tension among the township's board of trustees, now Elaine Mancini, Kathy Miller and Robyn Gallitto, prompted investigations -- by the board and individually -- to see where money can be saved.
Gallitto fired rhetorical questions at Mancini about a recent trustee decision to buyout leases of police cruisers.
"Am I on trial here?" Mancini responded.
At Thursday's special meeting, the new board agreed fiscal responsibility would be the top priority, despite differing opinions on how that would be accomplished.
Each trustee came with a list of things she thought necessary to discuss. Miller's first item was to "prioritize issues."
Her top three issues are flood control, creating and maintaining a strategic plan for the trustees and generating more community involvement.
"Oh, and fiscal responsibility. But I think that goes without saying," Miller said.
Mancini also said her top priority is fiscal responsibility.
Gallitto, at her first official meeting as a trustee, said her top three priorities are fiscal responsibility, long-term planning and unity on the board.
"All I can hear is Bill [Leicht] saying 'We're going to have to put a levy on in two years.' We better tighten our belts before asking anyone to tighten theirs," Gallitto said.
She was referring to a projection by township Clerk William Leicht that a reserve fund used to cover shortfalls between revenues and expenditures would be less than $1.2 million by the end of 2007. The township has relied on the reserve fund instead of asking voters to approve a new tax for several years.
New trustee's ideas
Gallitto brought to the table several of her large plans for the township, including bundling and combining department purchases in hopes of reducing costs. She suggested bundling cell phone service, utilities and office supplies.
She also pushed for a cost-benefit analysis of vehicles provided to city employees.
"I really think it should be investigated as to whether any money can be saved here," Gallitto said.
Gallitto explained that she thinks some employees who take home township cars didn't need them for work, so money could be saved there.
The discussion of city vehicles led to a debate over the city's rotating schedule to buy police cruisers. The city buys cruisers and fire trucks on a pre-determined schedule to avoid having to buy too many at one time.
To begin their focus on fiscal responsibility, the trustees said they will individually examine a vehicle inventory that will be complete Jan. 9, along with other years' inventories and budgets. They also said they will meet with Leicht to discuss 2006 appropriations as well as past and future city purchases.
Leicht and Curt Seditz, township administrator, were unable to attend the meeting.
The board of trustees will meet next at 7 p.m. Jan. 10.