COUNCIL MEETING Monday 6/16/2008

In addition to the multiple resolutions including many to take no action relating to the renewal of liquor licenses, the Council actions included; The withdrawal and termination of the developers agreement for the Richmond and East 3rd Street redevelopment area. Councilman Storch suggested that the council and the planning board along with other interested bodies revisit the scope of the project before another developer is approved. There was also approval for the transfer of 2008 budget funds to keep the city operating until the end of June.

Additionally the Council approved the temporary appropriations for the months of July, August and September which will be covered by the 2009 budget. Although the fiscal year starts July 1 2008,it seems that the city's budget is not approved until the following February. It is unacceptable that only 1/4 of the fiscal year remains before an operating budget is approved. No business can operate continually spending money before it has it. There exists lack of controls and accountability. Is the lack of a full time CFO, and changes in city administrators the problem? If so how soon will our administration rectify this defect.

As usual very few citizens attended the business portion of the meeting. At the Public Comment portion at the end of the meeting, Bernice Paglia commented on the fact that errors in resolutions that were annually renewed were never corrected. Also there were discrepancies in the terms of appointments to commissions from those stated in the ordinances creating the commissions. Gayle Jones asked if there were any provisional changes in the community's disaster plan if Muhlenberg was closed. I am not sure by the tenor of the responses if any proactive planning had even been contemplated.

I would be remiss not to mention that the meeting was preceded by well deserved awards for valor to members of the Fire Department. I hope the media will have covered this portion of the meeting. The local TV channel was taping it.