After an 85-minute, special meeting on Monday, the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved an amendment to the amendment of the 2011 general fund budget, approved just six days earlier.
The problem was the 2011 Police Budget, which needed $289,498 more in it to balance.
The Dec. 13 police department total was $5,109,844 (with $50,000 added to that during the meeting) and by Dec. 19 $5,404,342 was needed.
The 2011 has to be locked up by the end of the budget year, Dec. 31. The proposed 2012 budget needs changes, too, but there is plenty of time to do that next year.
“If we voted no on this today, could we make [police] payroll ‘til the end of the year?” asked Trustee Jeff Jahr.
“No,” replied Treasurer Sharry Budd. “We can’t spend money we don’t have [allocated in the budget].”
She said this revised budget would work, if approved.
Jahr explained that it’s like running out of money in your checking account and having to dip into your savings account.
“This township’s a long way from being broke,” Jahr said.
“We’re not in deficit as long as there’s money in the fund balance,” said Supervisor Paul White, who took over the responsibility of drawing up each year’s budget when he was elected, as stipulated by state law. Before that, Budd had taken responsibility for the budgets.
Jim Pedersen said from the audience drawing up a budget is a guessing game.
“Maybe the process wasn’t correct, could be improved…” Pedersen said, adding that the Water and Sewer Commission used the services of Deputy Treasurer Sean Bellingham to go over the budget with commission members.
He suggested Public Safety Director Carl McClanahan might like to use Bellingham, as well, to help with his budget and the Public Safety Commission could go over the budget before it got to the township board.
“This isn’t right,” said Clerk Leon Wright, referring to having to have an emergency meeting to vote on a budget that already was approved.
“We shouldn’t be here, but we’re here… We’re asking $290,000 more than what we approved last Tuesday,” Clerk Wright said.
He said the elected officials need to work closer together, including the “re-elected officials,” referring to Hart, Budd, and Jahr. “There’s room for improvement.”
Wright made the motion to approve the revised amended 2011 budget, “as long as we’re assured we won’t be here next Monday.” Trustee Denise Partridge seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Public Safety Director McClanahan tried to explain how the budget he presented to Supervisor White and the township board was so far off.
White said they weren’t going to throw anybody “under the bus” for this.
One of the problems was a 9% increase in health care costs that went into effect last April and was overlooked. And, a $20,000 buyout for a retired records clerk was allocated to the wrong year. Fuel costs were up more than expected, he said.
There was increased overtime due to four armed robberies and a prisoner that was hospitalized for four days and had to be watched round the clock on overtime. Overtime grew to $143,400 in November.
At first, McClanahan presented a total budget that was less than 2010. “There were unusual circumstances and it’s still less than 2010,” he said, asking the board to re-amend the budget.
“Errors were made. They’ve been corrected,” said Supervisor White. “The purpose of this meeting is to revise the amended budget … The amendments corrects the budget.”
“In all my years in the township and on the board, I’ve never had an emergency meeting on a budget,” Trustee Phil Hart said, adding the Public Safety Committee used to look at the budgets, but White wouldn’t give them a budget until after the board had it.
He recalled that Treasurer Budd caught the $50,000 difference in the police budget at the last meeting and that was added.
“We have to have tighter reins on the budget,” Hart insisted.
Trustee Al Ostrowski asked for all the increases by line items.
Trustee Jahr said that was an appropriate question so the board could understand. He pointed out there was no narrative presented explaining the increases.
McClanahan said there were errors made when numbers were transferred.
Budd said in November the officials knew the budget was wrong and it could have been corrected.
“This rubs me the wrong way,” Budd said. “I believe this is a mismanagement.”
She said there are 11 line items that are changing.
Budd also said the wages for 2012 are incorrect and she believes there’s going to be a problem in the fuel, wages and fringe numbers.
“This amendment will get us through until we can amend the 2012 budget,” Budd said.