Campbell council overrides mayor’s veto

By jeanne starmack

starmack@vindy.com

campbell

As expected, council overrode Mayor George Krinos’ veto of the city’s 2010 budget.

At its meeting Wednesday, council, minus member Bryan Tedesco, unanimously overrode the veto put in place March 8 after Krinos indicated he felt shut out of the budget process.

He told council at its March 3 meeting that he believes a budget he proposed was better, and revisions made later by council members and city Finance Director Sherman Miles occurred in meetings that didn’t include him.

By overriding the veto Wednesday, council avoided any interruptions to city employees’ pay. They are paid every two weeks.

Krinos has contended his budget proposal was better because it included money for paying a firefighter he recently recalled to the city’s understaffed fire department.

He said his budget allowed for the leasing of equipment to clean streets and storm sewers, which would save money in the long run over contracting for those services.

He also said his budget proposal had a $140,000 surplus vs. a $30,000 surplus in the one revised without his input. Council ultimately passed that revised version March 3.

Miles told The Vindicator that Krinos’ surplus was gained at the expense of the park fund after he moved $100,000 out of it.

Miles said state auditors agreed the park fund shouldn’t be used to support general-fund appropriations.

The budget that council passed does not include the money for the firefighter’s salary.

Paul Marshall, head of a state commission that oversees Campbell’s finances because it is in fiscal emergency, said at a recent meeting between the commission and council members that an adjustment must be made concerning the firefighter, though he did not say the firefighter had to be laid off again.

In a letter to Krinos dated Dec. 22, Marshall recommended against the firefighter’s reinstatement.