Medway Voices

Amazing. We are in financial crisis, but now we have a 1.8 million surplus, and this was a surprise? An overage is just as bad as a shortfall from an accounting perspective. I can see missing a few hundred or even thousand bucks, but 1.8 million? I thought the financial management was getting better. If our elected officials can't see 1.8 million in surplus, they also can't see shortfalls. POOR Financial management continues in this town. Next headline may read "Medway 2 million shortfall ... override being discussed". Remember all the threats of laying off police, teachers, closing the library ... I need to call John Stossle from 20/20 - give me a break!

While I cannot say you are totally incorrect in our ability to know that we had 1.8 million coming, I can say we had predicted a surplus.  Unfortunately the DOR ultimately dictates what the final amount will be.  This is based on certain criteria under their control and thus it is very difficult for us to precisely predict the end result.  And surely we cannot publicize a number before it is known.  More importantly it was past accounting practices, poor collections, and the issuance of late tax bills that were the major contributors to the surplus.  All of which are sins of the past.

I do disagree with your assessment as to our financial management.  The last couple of years have seen a tremendous turn around in account management as well as our financial decision making process.  I have a great deal of confidences that the town’s operations are in good hands.

At the BOS meeting scheduled for 2/11, 7PM, Sanford Hall, the board will be meeting with our auditor to review the report for FY07. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the abilities of our financial management team, the current state of our internal financial systems, and our current financial status, I urge you to attend. The auditor is scheduled for 7:15.

If you arrive for the start of the meeting, you are free to comment or ask questions of the BOS on this or any other matter, and I encourage you to do so.

GT