Observations
First he wanted to get rid of the Budget Committee. Now he's running for it. Now he's made it known how it wants it run!
OK, I go a bit far (maybe). Mr. Dormody has written a letter outlining how he wants to see the BudComm operate next year. So as a blogger does, it's time to comment on it. And no, I do not disagree with ALL of it!
This is long. But I have a question for Mr. Dormody - at the end.
I'm not sure why he addresses all of the above. The only person who would have any authority to change how the BudComm works might be Dick Hickok, and only for the time that he holds the Chair. The "might" part is that after attending many of the BudComm's meeting, it should have been obvious that Dick runs more to the laissez-faire way of running things than autocratic. While the latter style might reduce any perceived amount of chaos, the former allows the members, officials, and residents more chances to express their opinions.To: Richard Hickok, Budget Committee Chair
Connie Grant, Selectman
Allie Boucher, Selectman
Dennis Doten, Selectman
Evans Juris, Town Administrator
Like it or not, the Board of Selctmen nor the Town Administrator have authority over the BudComm. But certainly nice to keep them in the loop during this campaign cycle. They may, however, be willing to purchase the software that would be necessary to implement his ideas.
Re: Gilford Budget Committee And the more the merrier! If not else, it certainly provides more opportunities for discussion and for the public at large to see what the issues are. I attended many of the committee meetings this year, including both public hearings and one subcommittee working session. It is my belief that the budget committee - and the taxpayers they serve - would greatly benefit from the discussion and adoption of a series of "best practices". I believe that anyone not on the BudComm, is not officially associated with the process themselves, should be congratulated no matter the stances on the issues. Best practices would be nice. However, often this requires resources, funding or time, that a small town and it s volunteers do not have where a large private sector company would.
As you know, I am a candidate for an open position on the Gilford Budget Committee.
These best practices could be identified through focused committee discussions of their process, and through contacts with other budget committees throughout the state.
And this is supposed to happen when? Does he wish to play "follow the leader"? Doug suggested that the BudComm meet more often, and the result was one of the best lines of the year from Bill Philips concerning friends and meetings. He'll have a bit to go to convince the other members (who pretty much disagreed with Doug's suggestion) to go along with this.
I am submitting the following list of suggested best practices as a starting point for the discussion, and I would ask that they be considered during the upcoming season - whether or not I am an official member of the committee.
Who is going to pay for the training costs? The cost of the instructor, materials, meals, transportation, et al? And who makes it "mandatory" - certainly the members can vote to make it mandatory but has no authority to pay for that training.
- Provide training for new and existing budget committee members. I understand that some formal training is (or was) offered through the State. If this program has value, attendance should be mandatory for all committee members. If not, an alternate training session should be developed. The public deserves to have new (and existing) members who have gained a basic understanding of the committee's role, the budget process it follows, and its overall mission.
And what official or board has the authority to take action if a member decides not to attend? As far as I know, there is nothing in the RSA speaking about the removal of a BudComm member except for violating the unexcused absense threshold. And what about those members that have to travel for business on short notice? Do they get penalized for not attending it?
And setting up the alternative training session only doubles the problem.
2. Develop baseline standards / guidelines for the budget review
process. As I understand it, there is no standardized approach
for subcommittees as they go about their work of reviewing
the budgets of individual departments. As a result, some
subcomittees may delve deeply into the smallest budgetary
details, while others conduct a considerably less intensive
review. For consistency, and to assist department heads
with their preparations, some baseline standards and
guidelines would be beneficial.
The reality is that some departments need more scrutiny than others. For instance, with some departments where the majority of the expense items are under contract, there is very little that can be reviewed - the RSAs state that. Those, those items that can be reviewed will undergo more scrutiny than not.
As an aside, is he trying to intimate that the more seasoned members don't already have a "basic understanding" of its role, the process, and its mission?
3. The committee should take full advantage of e-mail and the internet to
increase public awareness of and involvement in their proceedings.
Suggested solutions include the following
Two parts here.
First, is using the technology between the BudComm members. Here's a big problem....Mr. Dormody is showing an unfamiliarity with the RSAs that govern how elected officials are allowed to communicate inbetween meetings. One of real issues, spread all over the local papers, is RSA 91 and the ability / inability / use / non-use of emails effectively going around mandatory meetings. Once cannot conduct the business of boards and committees via email. Plain and simple if it concerns items that are for a quorumed meeting.
Even though he has attended many of the meetings, he failed in one very important observation: not all of the BudComm members use the Internet, much less email. Other than polite chiding / joking once in a while, it has been made clear that they will not do so either.
Thus, without the full and willing participation (and unlike the private sector, this cannot be mandated) it won't work. And yes, I tried, softly.
And when it comes down to it, these are not items that the Budget Committee can just go out and buy for itself. The mission is to review budgets only.
provide taxpayers with the ability to "opt-in" to learn about budget committee issues and schedules. Using technology well-established in the business world, residents can quickly and securely sign up to receive targeted information about upcoming committee hearing schedules and votes - delivered via e-mail. Residents could choose their area of interest, and be automatically notified of relevant committee actions.
Second - the schedule part is easy - it already exists! Emails are sent out to those that register at the Town web site for meeting notifications - check it out. And they are posted in the real world too. The agendas work now.
It is not clear that the Town's web site host can do targeted agendas, or do this any time soon. In any case, this is beyond the scope of the Budget Committee to provide this functionality. And there is no capability to provide it.
On a more postive note, in discussions with Evans Juris, it is clear that he would love to have more capability in the Web site.
More official information about the budget committee proceedings should be available online - including voting records for each member, summaries of department budgets and committee recommendations, and a balanced presentation of any issues that are disputed. Meeting minutes are not enough - as they are lengthy and unfocused. The information presented online should be officially sanctioned by the budget committee and presented on the town website, or an alternate website created for this express purpose.
With the BudComm already approving its minutes, so I'm not sure what Mr. Dormody is looking for? The only addition would be to have them posted which some older ones are, but not the most recent. The BudComm has no access to the web site (that I am aware of) to post its own minutes anyways.
Voting records are not a bad thing. The last BudComm meeting posted (first of this year's BudComm season) has a voting record in it. The "major" voting records are also recorded by the media.
The budget is available, but the Budget Committee is not responsible for the keeping of it...this would be a Town function (most likely, the Finance Department). This would entail more work by the Finance Department and putting it up on the Town web site.
Minutes - it seems that Mr. Dormody is unhappy with Sandy's work - the Selectmen Executive Secretary, as well as the gentleman that the School Board brought for their meetings. The BudComm has no resources to take notes. Is Mr. Dormody offering to pay for a professional transcriptionist? Or is he willing to take on this function himself? After all, isn't that the New England way - see a need and fill it?
I find it a bit strange as well, that Mr. Dormody is looking to have voting records tabulized, yet during this campaign he has all but refused to make his views known. Yes for me but not for thee?
4. The budget committee should double the number of public sessions. The
committee currently holds the minimum number of public hearings
allowed by law - one for the school budget, and one for the town budget.
These sessions are held late in the season after much of the committee's
work has been completed and minds are made up. Holding at least
one additional public session for each budget earlier on in the season
would allow members to receive public feedback earlier in their
decision-making process.
It is the mission of the Budget Committee, by statute, to present their reviews of the budgets and the changes that it has made. No matter what Mr. Dormody's observation, the process of completing that mission takes time, a lot of time.
Also, consider this. All of the meetings are open to the public. Every one, including the subcommittee meetings are open for any one to attend. Heck, he even invited himself into a meeting that I had set up with Chief Hayes (along with a couple of the Board of Fire Engineers, the Deputy Chief, and I think a couple of the firemen). Many members provide their email addresses already and most are accessible by phone.
There is no shortage of ways that a taxpayer can make their voice heard concerning the BudComm. There are no secrets!
In fact, I am hoping that the CCTV / Public Access system will be up and running this year - and then everyone can watch every BudComm meeting from the comfort of their home. I even hope that someone records it so that it can go up on the internet for later viewing.
Also, might I point out. There are about 6,000 registered voters in Town. Each of the Deliberative sessions, in round numbers, were only about 300 (more or less). That translates to a mere 5% and most of those folks only had certain agenda items in mind (IMHO).
I have nothing against it - have it - I just don't think that having more will result in a higher turnout.
I appreciate your consideration.
