Town considered rehiring Basile’s firm

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By DAN MINER

Observer-Dispatch

Posted Mar 22, 2009 @ 05:51 PM

Last update Mar 22, 2009 @ 07:31 PM


NEW HARTFORD

Earlier this year, FJ Basile CPAs, PC nearly was rehired to continue the work it has been doing for the town since September 2007.

The town’s 2009 budget includes $100,000 for financial consultants, and a renewal of the contract appeared on the agenda for a Feb. 11 meeting, along with the words “exempt from bidding.”

That elicited a nearly immediate response from civic group Concerned Citizens for Honest & Open Government, which e-mailed board members to question the re-upping of the contract without a request for proposal, price quote or competitive bidding. Members cited both state law and town procedures.

Concerned Citizens co-founder Catherine Lawrence also pointed out that Town Supervisor Earle Reed signed the contract with Frank Basile’s firm before it was approved by the board.
Reed admitted the gaffe.

“I shouldn’t have signed it,” he said.

The Feb. 11 meeting was canceled due to a snow storm. At the next meeting, the contract was not on the agenda, and board members since have said they will let board member Christine Krupa handle Basile’s oversight duties.

Basile, in turn, said the process the board followed for the renewal of his contract was done properly because it was a continuation of service.

He cited conversations he had with an associate examiner for the state comptroller. The Town Board just needed to have a documented discussion and then it could approve the contract, he said.


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