Budget Committee meets to review the Transfer Station
Meeting Highlights:
- Concerns were raised over large $17,752 transfer of cash from the Contingency Fund on August of 2008 tagged for a “free dump day” that was held in May 2008 of the prior accounting year, this was then moved again in April 2009? It was explained the funds were pulled because the “free day” expenses were not in the budget, but it did not explain why the transaction was in the wrong accounting period. The normal expenses for the month of 5/08 don’t show a $17,752 increase.
- Documentation supporting this odd accounting transfer showed a time slip where the Department Head Mr. Patch who is paid salary also charged the town $45 per hour for operating a loader for 6 hours. Many of the Waste expenses included is this transfer were the normal typical monthly charges for the period (not extra), one invoice for $1096 was paid as a duplicate. The Tire and Appliance waste slips were very very high.
- The high waste expenses was cause for deeper investigation, which showed extremely high volumes of tires some 119 tons in the last 44 months with 48 of the tons in the last three months alone. This has cost the residents over $18,000.00 in trucking alone and accounts for an estimated 9000 tires. Mr. patch didn’t think this was volume was excessive and he explained it as tires simply being picked up along side the road. Fees were discussed since found tires provide No revenue it was felt increasing fees could make things worst.
- Concerns over having a commercial hauler use the facility raised.
- There was discussion over Recycled material and a desire to improve recycling. Mr. Patch explained that recycled stuff actually cost the town more than just running it through compactor. The slips were looked at during the meeting and the rates calculated, the normal waste is actually 2 to 3 times More expensive than the Recycled waste is, exactly opposite to what Mr. Patch had just explained. Recycling and separating IS saving us money and reducing our waste stream! This saves us money!
- The Solid Waste for 2009-2010 should finish with more than $20,000 under budget, which represents nearly one extra month of fees. The new budget for 2010-2011 carried this extra month amount forward.
- There was confusion over repairs… So far this year the repairs budget hasn’t been spent. Mr. patch explained how the pits for the compactor containers needs to have some work. The 2010 budget request was for another $5000. By conversation it seemed funding for the work is fine, but the committee didn’t want to approve another amount if the work were to be done this spring.
- This raised the issue that many of the budgets that happen to have extra cash, such as the winter roads budget which has a few hundred thousand (from the light winter) manage to find a way and or feel obligated to spend it. In the case of the roads for example the funds could come back into the general fund for purchase of materials for next winter.
- Budget Committee members questioned the cost of Safety Equipment at the Transfer Station. Specifically the policy of purchasing boots for each one of the employees at $75-100. It was felt the employees could provide there own.
- Mr. Patch explained how on occasion he might send one of his people out to pick-up a sofa tossed on the road. Questions of liability were asked in regards to an accident or injury.
- Of course there was more..
- meeting lasted 1:27 min
The Lebanon online video archive is available Here.
Keep Recycling!! It Saves us Money!
Watch 03-10-10 Lebanon Maine Budget Committee in News | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
4 responses so far ↓
1 chris gilpatrick // Mar 12, 2010 at 3:13 pm
as a budget committee member and a taxpayer for over twenty-five years i scratch my head every year and wonder “whats wrong with this picture?”this past meeting i sat and listened and was amazed at what a selectman was saying!!
#1 that it’s cheaper not to recycle and throw everything into one dumpster.however,after looking over slips (glen obtained)it is easy to see the difference.
trash disposal cost $1,300-$1,400 per load
recycleables cost $200-$220 per load
looks like a huge savings.could someone please give our dump department head a calculator and explain how to use one so he can get his facts straight!!how long has he had this job and was/is he qualified when a simple math question pops up and he hasn’t got a clue??
#2 paying a company from corinna,maine to come to lebanon,load our junk tires and hauling them to rochester,n.h.waste management totaling thousands.why not have waste management leave a dumpster at the dump when full,haul to rochester without the middle man??
#3 paying dump employees to ride around and clean our ditches?last week we were told thats why we hire so many one tons on the “town crew”
.where’s the liability for the dump employees (hurt back,getting hit,damaging their vehicle,etc.)?
#4 dump department head asked how much is his pay?didn’t know.further digging found in 07-08 he made $21,790 equaling $17.45 per hour in 08-09 he made $19,340.22 equaling $15.50 per hour. if the town paid him according to the pay scale (like it use to be)he would be making $12.00 per hour same as a laborer.difference in cost :
07-08 – $6,814 per year
08-09 -$4,364 per year
#5 don’t feel bad ’cause his salary went down ’cause his wifes went from $11,358.10 in 07-08 to $13,359.06 in 08-09. difference of $2,000.96.
#6 in two years this budget has increased $16,482 with no real explanation on why!!!
#7 discussion with selectmen over road budget questions due to the fact no selectmen were present when we went over this budget.
a] winter budget has $275,403.17 left in account.where does this money go?surplus to lower taxes?spend it on nothing ’til the account has a ZERO balance?no answer from them.
b] winter budget had $261,257.83 spent this year,why appropriate the same next year?
c] why combine summer and winter budgets to have all money spent on summer projects (ditching,ditching ditching, cold patch) and no money left for winter weather?does this make sense?
d] selectman complaining about sand purchased last year for roads.ironically,purchased from other selectman.why wasn’t the sand rejected if selectmen were unhappy with their purchase ?back door back scratching deals gone bad!!!!!!
e]paving private road costing $4,000 from an outfit that never bid on paving?is it true same outfit does all frizzels paving?more of the back door deals?
f]paving jim grant road by same outfit costing $11,000.more deals?
these are just a few things that make me say why??!! is it just me??
2 Kurt Schluter // Mar 12, 2010 at 3:39 pm
No-its not just you, Chris. Based solely on what is written above and on the original post it is obvious Mr. Patch is in way over his head and is unqualified for his position and should be replaced. More important is the implication of theft of services through manipulation of his departments accounting process. An audit is in order for the entire towns financial system as it seems there is a lot of financial incompetence and/or embezzlement going on. I also question the existence of the budget committee since they have no power over any of this. We need a town manager to clean this town up!
3 chris gilpatrick // Mar 12, 2010 at 4:04 pm
SORRY FOR THE LONG RANT ABOVE BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE!!! i am asked all the time why bother being on the budget committee when there is no power in our position even though we are elected to better our town.i owe it to the town to expose the waste that happens daily.eventually,change WILL occur in this town if enough people get sick of the practices of our elected officials.we do need a town manager to get rid of these sweet deals that we pay for dearly.wasn’t it mr.patch that appointed himself to be the dump department head?sounds like a conflict of interest to me.how does he charge the town for selectmen wages when he is salary at the dump but sitting at the town hall wearing his selectman hat?
4 Glen Stadig // Mar 13, 2010 at 12:44 pm
All great points Chris..
People…watch and listen to the video of the meeting…hear the dialogue for yourself.
The Commercial Hauler who operates a “For Profit” business out of our facility for “FREE” needs to stop being allowed to use it! Only residents with permits should be allowed in. We have no control over where the waste is allowed to come from. Providing the Hauler a key and after hours access as has been allowed, provides even less control.
We need more controls and better management of the facility and it’s policy’s.
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