Butchko addresses finances, more questions surface

Jun 15, 2010 at 02:23 pm by Observer-Review


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Butchko addresses finances, more questions surface
WAYNE—The Wayne town board spent the first part of its meeting going over budget transfers, Tuesday, June 8.
Supervisor Steve Butchko explained this addresses concerns brought to the board about the locations of certain funds.  He said the 2009 budget was never closed, so the software the town uses to manage the finances could not transition from December to January.
The town board started doing budget transfers to reconcile the budget at the meeting.  Butchko added that it would not be completed right away, because the board was waiting for Highway Superintendent John McEntire to get back from training before going over highway funds.
Former Supervisor Dawn Dowdle brought concerns about a list of funds not mentioned in the supervisor’s budget report to the May meeting.  While not at the June 8 meeting, she said it seemed like Butchko was doing the “transition work” needed.  She added that the financial books were not closed out for the 2009 year, because that cannot happen until 2010 starts and she was no longer supervisor after Dec. 31, 2009.
Dowdle said the next thing would be for the state comptroller’s office to accept the town’s financial report.  At the meeting, Butchko told the board Wayne had gotten an extension to do this.
During public comment, more concerns were expressed.  Geraldine Gleason Simmons, former town board member of 12 years and history committee member, spoke about actions taken by the supervisor without the board voting.
She said that Butchko gave Bookkeeper Maureen Kurtz a new job description, as “Assistant town clerk,” and Clerk Patty Harsh the role of “acting supervisor in the supervisor’s absence.”  She said Butchko assumed executive authority in doing this, because the changes were not reviewed or voted on by the board as a whole.
Simmons also expressed concerns with the way Kurtz was terminated, though ultimately reinstated.  She said the letter of termination given to Kurtz in April gave no reasons for the dismissal.  Simmons explained  the bookkeeper had civil service protection, requiring reasons for dismissal. 
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