The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

July 6, 2012

Mayor says budget will be completed by July 30

Staff Writer Calvin Adkins

TARBORO — PRINCEVILLE — Although Mayor Priscilla Everette-Oates assured the citizens that the town's 2012-1013 budget will be completed by July 31, the countdown to meeting that deadline is on.

After failing to complete the the town's annual budget, Princeville was forced to adopt an interim budget for July to continue town operations until July 31. The deadline for all municipalities to complete their  2012-1013 budgets was June 30.

During the town's June meeting, commissioners adopted the interim budget by a 3-2 vote.

Oates, and commissioners Isabelle Purvis-Andrews and Calvin Sherrod voted in favor of the budget while commissioners Ann Howell and Gwendolyn Knight voted against.

Howell and Knight said they voted against the interim budget because it was their first time to see the document and they were not allowed to be involved in the process.

During the meeting, Oates said she, along with interim town manager, Maggie Boyd and town accountant Allen Daniel met with the Local Government Commission and they helped them with the budget.

Knight raised the question, "How could LGC get involved without notifying the entire board?"

Julia Vail, media relations for LGC, said it is common that their organization to assist municipalities with budget problems. She said there was no face-to-face meeting between LGC and town officials, but that the exchange of information was done over the phone.

Members from the State and Local Government Finance Division who participated included Sharon Edmundson, Robin Hammond and Vance Holloman (for part of the call). Princeville participants included Oates, Boyd, Purvis-Andrews who is also the interim town finance officer, and Daniel.

"The call was initially set up to discuss the annual budget ordinance," Vail said. "However, after some initial conversation about the advantages and drawbacks, it was determined it was in the town's best interest to move towards an interim budget. This would give the town more time to complete its accounting records for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, which are essential to developing an accurate detailed budget ordinance. It is not unusual for State and Local Government Finance Division staff to work with local government staff on issues such as developing budget recommendations."

Howell expressed her disappointment to the board by not allowing herself and Knight to be involved in the process. She said she understood the importance of adopting the July interim budget, but voted against it.

"I can't vote on something that I don't know anything about," Howell said. "That's not fair to my constituents who voted me in. And if they could do an interim budget, they could do an annual budget. It just doesn't make any sense."

Knight said she disagreed with the entire interim budget. The Ward 1 commissioner was not allowed to speak on the budget because of a restraining order that was filed against her to stay within 50 feet from Boyd. The mayor attempted to force theissue by calling a recess to the regular scheduled town meeting on June 25 until June 28. On June 28, the meeting continued, however, the mayor still did not allow Knight to speak.

"How can the town pass a budget without allowing a commissioner to have any input in it? How can the town past a budget that will not allow a commissioner to voice her opinion on it? It's not fair to the people in my ward."





 

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