CHRISTOPHER KEEFE
WESTFIELD – City Council President Brent B. Bean II and Finance Committee Chairman Christopher Keefe said this morning that there will be a meeting of that committee Thursday prior to the regular City Council meeting to address pending financial matters, including the residential shift.
Bean said that he requested the Finance Committee members, Keefe, Ward 6 Councilor Christopher Crean and Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr., to agree to meet and bring several items out to the full City Council for a vote Thursday.
“I was able to convene a Finance Committee meeting with the aid of the committee’s members to bring out a few financial matters and to discuss all items related to the shift and levy,” Bean said. “Some of those matters are overtime for the Fire Department and the transfer of $75,000 from the School Department to the City Hall Payroll department.”
Bean said that the Payroll Department currently is understaffed with two vacant positions and that the transfer will allow the hiring of another staff member immediately.
DANIEL M. KNAPIK
Keefe had vowed not to bring any items out of his committee until it was provided with more information about the levy and residential shift factor by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik.
“I believe that both the Mayor and Finance Chairman were both doing what they felt was in the best interest of the city and its residents, that neither were playing politics,” Bean said. “It’s clear that the Mayor is not moving off the 1.24 (tax increase) number, so it’s my responsibility as Council President to move the city forward and set the shift factor.
“If the shift (vote) comes in Thursday, Mike (City Collector Michael McMahon) will still be able to get the tax bills out the door with minimal overtime, far less than the $135,000 the city would pay for short-term borrowing if the bills aren’t mailed before the end of the year,” Bean said.
Keefe said he has requested other City Councilors to identify issues pending in his committee that will be discussed at the Dec. 18 Finance Committee session.
“I plan to post the agenda Monday and have asked Council members to contact me if they have a specific issue to be included on that agenda,” Keefe said this morning.
“I’ve made my point, but the city has certain business which has to be acted upon,” Keefe said. “There is no need to shut down a fire station over this.
“I’ve talked with Brent (Bean) and Brian (Sullivan, chairman of the Legislative & Ordinance Committee) about the overtime for police and fire and the transfer from the School Department to the Payroll Department, as well as the tax shift,” Keefe said.
“It will be up to the Finance Committee members to vote on what comes out Thursday,” Keefe said.
The city has a bifurcated tax structure, with one rate for residential property and a second rate for commercial, industrial and personal (CIP) property. The residential shift moves the tax burden from one class to the other and is the last number needed to set a tax rate. Residential property accounts for about 83 percent of the total property value in the city, while the CIP accounts for most of the remaining 17 percent.
