Outgoing Town Supervisor
Earle Reed faced one last piece of bad financial news Wednesday
as he headed up the final board meeting of his four-year tenure.
When a
town board member questioned whether there was enough money available in the
relevant fund to cover $139,906 in unexpected costs at the intersection of Route
5 and Woods
Highway, Budget Director Heather Mowat responded that there was
– but the town would then be short close to $100,000 in the future.
“There won’t be enough money to make all the payments on all the bills
that you have left,” she said during the 6 p.m. meeting at Butler
Hall.
The expenditure – which Senior Engineer John Meagher said was for
paving, excavation and drainage work completed by Hanson Aggregates – eventually
was approved, however. And board members said they would speak with the
developer involved in the project about picking up part of the cost.
The
board also approved several “interfund” borrowing requests from Mowat, allowing
her to transfer money between different town accounts as necessary to cover
current bills. Mowat said such actions are not uncommon at year’s end, and will
help the municipality make ends meet until it receives a sales tax check in
February and “everything becomes flush again.”
After a year full of
similar financial difficulties Reed decided not to run again but remained
positive about his experience in office.
“I’ve met so many nice people
here,” he said after the meeting adjourned. “I guess when I look back over the
last four years, it’s about the wonderful people who work for the town of New
Hartford.”
Reed added that he believes he’s leaving the town better off,
overall, than it was when he took office.
His successor, Patrick
Tyksinski, will be sworn in at noon Friday.
