Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This newsletter will cover:
1) Warren County Court expansion: $16.5 million – “No Free money” this time around
2) 2014 Year End: Warren County Treasurer reports good news on April 30th
3) Roads and Runways – “Deception!”
4) New Warren County Administrator’s Policy is wrong
5) Goodbye Airport Diner – It’s been gone for months. Why talk about this now?
1) No “free money” this time around with the court expansion.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted 17 – 3 to authorize $16.5 million for the court expansion. Paid for by county taxpayers. No “free money” from the feds or the state this time.
Supervisor Beaty, Supervisor Vanselow and I voted against it.
According to the county treasurer this will result in annual payments of more than $1 million for 20 years. A total of $22 million.
- Here is the Treasurer’s estimated payment spreadsheet: http://www.westcottupny.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Future-County-Debt-Service-Including-Court-Expansion.xlsx
There are a lot of politicians who say they are fiscal conservatives. Actions speak louder than words.
Warren County is a small county. Our population is not growing. In fact it declined slightly in the last census. Our per capita income is $30,351.
What is growing is our county government.
Source: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/36113.html
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2) 2014 Year End: Warren County Budget – “Good money year”
Don Lehman’s front page article on Monday May 11 brought to light “Last year was another good money year for Warren County …”
His article was based on an April 30 Treasurer’s Budget Analysis Report. 2014 books closed with millions of dollars in increased savings and revenues.
- Here is the Treasurer’s report: http://www.westcottupny.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Treasurer-Budget-Analysis1.pdf
- Here are the itemized savings: http://www.westcottupny.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Treasurer-2014-Additional-Revenues-and-Expenses.xlsx
This is good news. Credit goes to responsible department heads who bucked the government trend and returned money at the end of 2014.
The article went on to say “Warren County is looking forward to tackling projects …” including the court expansion. The savings will boost the county fund balance short term, but will go to future spending.
It is worth noting the article also reports “Westmount, the county owned nursing home that is under contract for sale, finished the year with just less than $1.5 million in surplus …” As it turns out the Westmount Fund has a sufficient surplus this year to carry it through all of 2015, which is what is now being reported to you.
It was a different story just two months ago. On February 20th The Post Star reported “County Administrator Paul Dusek said the (nursing) home is projected to lose $946,000 this year, but its total cost to taxpayers will be about $1.9 million.”
Sources: The Post Star: http://poststar.com/news/local/another-good-money-year-for-warren-county/article_92400c2d-e183-517a-a341-9254b3025f51.html; http://poststar.com/news/local/warren-county-supervisors-move-forward-with-plans-to-sell-westmount/article_f16cc78c-b921-11e4-b926-83e28776f86c.html
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3) Roads and Runways: “Deception!”
My April 19 email titled “Roads and Runways” ticked off at least one supervisor up at the county. Lake Luzerne Supervisor Merlino said it was “deceiving.”
I ran my numbers by Treasurer Mike Swan to make sure they were right. They are. Here is what I wrote – http://www.westcottupny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/90-Roads-and-Runways-4-19-15.pdf.
The issue has to do with my statement “Twice as much Warren County taxpayer money is going to the airport than for the roads – $350,000 for roads versus $846,205 for the airport.”
I stand by this statement. It is true. I wouldn’t change a word.
As we plead with New York State for more money for our roads, we could start right at home.
Saratoga County spends less than $100,000 of county taxpayer money on their airport. Warren County spends more than $800,000 of county taxpayer money on our airport.
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4) New Warren County Administrator’s Policy is wrong
Treasurer Swan willingly met with me this past week to provide information on the county finances. Afterwards Mr. Swan told me there is a new policy at the county that all supervisors have to go through County Administrator Paul Dusek for any requests for information. I also heard this through Supervisor Beaty.
I informed in writing the County Administrator this policy is wrong stating:
“I have every right to go to the Treasurer and will meet with him again. I also have every right to go see the airport manager or anyone else at the county. This notion that everything has to run through you is wrong.”
The control of information is power. I wrote about this same issue in January – http://www.westcottupny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/79-Information-is-Power-1-12-15.pdf.
Supervisors are the people’s representatives. Mr. Dusek reports to us. We have every right, just like you do, to call on any Department Head at the county, which I will continue to do.
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5) Good bye Airport Diner
Why talk about this now? It’s been closed for months.
[Carol’s airport diner has moved to Hudson Falls. Great place to eat by the way.]
Early this year, I had breakfast with six pilots just before Carol moved out. It was brought to my attention there is a contractual obligation to keep the diner in the main terminal. Twice in county meetings I asked for an official ruling on this.
We have contracts for a reason. They are agreements. In the case of Warren County Airport there is a contractual obligation to have a diner in the main terminal. However the diner has been closed and has been torn out. A new high end restaurant is in the works.
Why talk about this now? Why is this important?
It is obvious to me. Government should live by the same rules as the rest of us. Contracts should be honored.
Mark Westcott