DAVID FLAHERTY
WESTFIELD – The Finance Committee conducted a Committee of the Whole Monday night to allow all City Council members to review the proposed 2016 fiscal year budget to make motions to cut spending in advance of the meeting slated for tonight to approve the budget and shaved $1.8 million off the Mayor’s $120 million budget, with the largest cut to the city’s health insurance trust fund which currently has a balance of over $8 million.
Cuts included $1.3 million from the insurance line item, $400,00 from the overall school budget, $5,000 for a music festival, and $100,000 from the Siemens line item.
Discussion became heated several times, with councilors David Flaherty and Brent B. Bean II exchanging words, as well as councilors Brian R. Hoose and Christopher Keefe.
BRENT BEAN II
Flaherty propsed several cuts with the goal of reducing the budget by more than $2 million. He requested a $40,000 cut in the collections department from a salary line item because of a retirement and a $10,000 cut to the $20,000 redevelopment line item, among others.
He made a motion to cut $1.3 million from the city’s health insurance trust fund which currently has a balance of over $8 million, which was passed on a 9-4 vote. The Finance Committee, comprised of Bean, Robert A. Paul Sr., and Christopher Crean, were joined by Council President Brian Sullivan in opposition.
“It’s a bit of a shell game,” Bean said this morning, “but it gives the Council a little more control of the city’s money. If we have a healthy year, we won’t need that money, but if we need to we can return funds to that account.”
The council voted in June of last year to make a similar cut and voted in January to return funding, from free cash, to that Health Insurance Reserve account and will consider tonight at a special City Council session a request from Mayor Daniel M. Knapik to approve an additional $172,000 for the trust fund.
Knapik is also seeking approval of transfers totaling $1,229,170 from various accounts to the city’s snow and ice account to avoid carrying that debt into the 2016 fiscal year.
Last night, Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr. suggested a sweeping cut to the school budget non-salary line items of $1.176 million, with a reallocation to the personnel budget, leaving a budget reduction of $527,000.
Councilor Matthew T. Van Heynigen noted that the Council could make cuts but not direct a reallocation of funds.
BRIAN HOOSE
“We can strongly suggest,” said Council President Brian Sullivan.
Paul said if they had to specify an account to cut from he believes the school energy budget could be reduced.
“It’s an area I’m willing to risk because of the upgrades we’ve made,” he said. “I’m strongly hoping that’s where they make a cut.”
Flaherty agreed and said the school representatives who met with the finance subcommittee told them there was room in the budget.
“They indicated in a Finance Committee meeting that they padded the budget,” he said.
CHRISTOPHER KEEFE
Bean responded by saying the School Committee was very accommodating throughout the budget process and did not pad the budget and offered harsh words to Flaherty.
“It was $18,000 for energy costs that go up and down – this is why there’s no give and take,” Bean said to Flaherty. “To throw the word padded out there is inappropriate.”
Bean accused Flaherty of saying the school budget was padded for the sake of media attention.
“I don’t care who’s sitting in the audience,” said Flaherty. “They used the word padded. I think we should move on . . . without personalities.”
MARY L. O’CONNELL
Councilor Mary O’Connell told Bean he was inappropriate.
“You, sir, act like a bully,” O’Connell said. “Your words are hurtful.”
Sullivan said the school department already made deep cuts and was the only city department to give out pink slips. Sullivan added he would also support “rolling the dice” on school energy costs.
Paul’s motion was approved to cut $400,000 from the school budget, primarily from the school supply account. Paul proposed that the School Department come back with a capital plan which the council could finance as a bond, freeing up cash within the proposed school budget to avoid laying off personnel.
“We did send a message to the School Committee to reallocate funds for staff and then we can bond for some of the capital spending they had in their budget,” Bean said.
A second argument erupted between Hoose and Keefe and resulted in Keefe apologizing to Hoose for his outburst.
Councilor Ralph J. Figy and O’Connell suggested cutting the Flood Commission budget by $1,500 because the commission was reduced to five members, and Flaherty encouraged the Council to make a push with local legislators to bring back the Quinn Bill in order to save the city money on police personnel costs.
Knapik is requesting immediate consideration for five of the transfers and appropriations which includes $146,000 to return funding to the Police Department for three school resource officers. Funding for the resource officers at the Westfield High School, the Westfield Vocational Technical High School and one officer spilt between the two middle school, was cut from the Police Department budget.
Several City Council members requested Knapik to reconsider those cuts and return the funding needed to contain the school resource officer program. Council members were petitioned by the administration of those schools to return funding.
Knapik also proposed that any funds remaining in the city’s free cash account be transferred to the stabilization account.
Knapik is also requesting the City Council to name City Treasurer Meghan (Miller) Kane to serve as acting City Collector as of July 6, 2015 because of the retirement of Collector Michael McMahon.
Bean said that Knapik’s request for council approval of two new taxes on restaurant meals and hotel rooms is not on the agenda tonight. Knapik used the projected $300,000 in new revenue those taxes would generate to balance the budget.
“We would have to suspend the rules to bring it out for discussion tonight,” Bean said “If we don’t bring it out and approve it; we’ll have to find another $300,000. Year after year it’s getting harder to balance the city budget.”
