Mass exit

Finance committee members quit together Vernon — Frustrated by what they say was a lack of cooperation, all five members of the township’s financial advisory committee decided to quit at a meeting convened last week. “The feeling was the same throughout all five of us,” said David Gornstein, one of the members. The group of volunteers was chosen for their financial expertise. Their mission was to review and offer advice on any aspect of township business involving money. But what they found, instead, was that they were neither called upon while financial decisions were made nor were they given open access to information. In fact, said one of the members, Tom McClachrie, they had to file Open Public Records Acts forms to obtain copies of Vernon’s recent forensic audit. Meanwhile, the township has given raises to employees and deferred $500,000 of pension payments, thereby incurring a debt to be paid over eight years, McClachrie said, without consulting the group. “There’s not a lot of transparency and openness on the part of the Manager.” A letter sent via e-mail to the township Clerk, Mayor and Council signed by three of the members read in part: “During the past few weeks the Council has found $1.2 million in unspent funds, increased employees’ salaries by 3.5 percent, spent $600,000 of the found money, all without consulting the FAC (Financial Advisory Committee). What advice we may have offered on these expenditures and other financial dealing was apparently deemed unnecessary. As the town progresses through this budget we see continuing cash flow problems for the township which may have been avoided.” That note, signed by McClachrie, Gornstein and Robert Oliver, offered these final words: “In parting we offer the following advice, utilization of Tax Anticipation Notes (TANs) should be avoided where possible and the locking in of current low interest rates on some of the Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs) should be done.” The group’s chairman, Brian Morton, effectively resigned as he opened the meeting, said Township Clerk Robin Kline. Member Mark Buruchian submitted a separate resignation letter.