Mayor debates accusations of fiscal mismanagement

Dear Editor,

I would like to take this opportunity to correct the misinformation and address the unfounded accusations of fiscal mismanagement being made against my administration recently in the Pennysaver.

Mr. Watkins expressed concern that I and the Village Board of Trustees have made equipment purchases for the Owego Fire Department (OFD), namely a truck and an ambulance, through bonding. This is simply false. The Owego Fire Department does not and has never bonded for vehicles. The necessary purchase of the truck and ambulance was made with contract funds that the Fire Department receives annually.

Mr. Watkins knows that the Village is in need of a new street sweeper and also that this machine has not been ordered yet. When it is purchased it will be purchased using Village funds.

My administration has taken out no bonds to finance Village of Owego purchases. I do not believe in creating interest accruing debt for future boards to payoff, it is an unfair burden to saddle others with. The only bonding the Village currently has was created by the previous administration, in an attempt to avoid raising taxes for necessary infrastructure repair. In July of 2007, the prior Mayor and Village Board (including Mr. Watkins) voted to bond for general road maintenance instead of finding outside funding or budgetary alternatives. This unnecessary bonding will cost the Village taxpayers an additional $37,400 in interest over a five (5) year period; this was a costly and wasteful mistake.

Mr. Watkins has also complained that the current administration has reacted irresponsibly by increasing Village staff, even though in 2008 he himself voted to increase staff. The current village staff is needed for the village to run effectively. Without the minimal number of staff we currently have there would be an undesirable loss of services and a decrease in public safety.

Mr. Watkins asserted that bonuses were given to department heads. This statement is untrue. No bonuses were given, and furthermore to give bonuses to government employees is illegal in New York State.

I will continue to talk about the issues that face our village, my proposals on how to increase the village tax base, insure the safety of village employees and the public and my solutions for responsibly financing equipment purchases that are needed for the Department of Public Works and the Owego Fire Department.

Sincerely,

Edward L Arrington

Village of Owego Mayor

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