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 Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 11:40 am EST Post subject: Budget |
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The Budget summary was posted today, however, I caution people when reading the summary. The 2009 number is lower than the 2008 number shown. However, the 2008 number shown is not actual it was what was estimated to be spent. So they are comparing last year's estimate of 12.4 mill to this year's estimate of 11.34 mill and showing a decrease. Since the town had a surplus last year, the spending estimated- actual vs estimate has actually increased.
The only difference is that the 08' employees shown are 88 and this year it is 74. I don't know if they will be replaced. |
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Michael
Joined: Thu, May 29 2008, 8:55 am EDT
Posts: 202
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Guest
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 1:23 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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So how do we see an accturate comparison against actual then?
I would still love to see a comprehensive breakdown of the employees on the Township payroll. Even 74 is a staggeringly high figure for a town with only three-thousand-and-something men, women and children, especially when a majority of Township services are outsourced.
Excluding the police department (which appaently is only about 14 oif that #?) and the school (which is not counted in that number), I would think we could justify maybe 20-some employees, not 60+. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 1:29 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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| In this budget - I don't see the appropriations that the township is giving to the school or the public library. Shouldn't that be shown too? |
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Guest
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 1:48 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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School budget is a completely separate budget that we vote on in April. In 2007, it accounted for 55% percent of our taxes. The library is line is on sheet 20, and it is only the total sum. The library budget is determined by the Library Board of Trustees so you don't see the breakdown of salaries, expenses, etc. that you see on this budget.
It represents about 1% of our tax bills. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 1:48 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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A couple misc. questions:
Why are they assuming a substantial increase in municipal court fees for 2009?
If the headcount is supposedly down, why are they budgeting a 12.5% increase in salaries and wages for “executive and administrative” personnel for 2009? Most places I know had salary freezes this year. Some towns and states are laying workers off or forcing them to stay home without pay once a week. So why would we allow a 12.5% increase? I would think we should force at least a 10-20% reduction year-over-year in this area. “Financial Administration” payroll is going up almost 20%! How is that for ironic. The total payroll is not going up as high, but that’s because they have clearly reduced to part-time work in other categories. That’s not good enough. No one should be getting a raise and no department should be expanding. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 2:35 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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| Guest wrote: | A couple misc. questions:
Why are they assuming a substantial increase in municipal court fees for 2009?
If the headcount is supposedly down, why are they budgeting a 12.5% increase in salaries and wages for “executive and administrative” personnel for 2009? Most places I know had salary freezes this year. Some towns and states are laying workers off or forcing them to stay home without pay once a week. So why would we allow a 12.5% increase? I would think we should force at least a 10-20% reduction year-over-year in this area. “Financial Administration” payroll is going up almost 20%! How is that for ironic. The total payroll is not going up as high, but that’s because they have clearly reduced to part-time work in other categories. That’s not good enough. No one should be getting a raise and no department should be expanding. |
Even in the private sector, companies like HP have cut salaries 5% across the board. Also, why does animal control have doubled in the 2009 budget compared to what was exactly spent in 2008. I know it is only 6 thousand, but every dollar counts. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 2:39 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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To re-open another thread, who else would enforce cat licenses?
On a more relevant note, state workers are likely going to receive a 1day/month furlough in FY10 and the last months of FY09. Seems incongruent with the sizeable increase in local admin wages the previous poster reported. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 2:39 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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"Also, why does animal control have doubled in the 2009 budget compared to what was exactly spent in 2008."
Maybe due to the "cat licensing" deal that the BoH so in love with? |
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Ed K
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 3:46 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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After reading the last TC Minutes from 2/9 meeting I was pleased to read about how our newest member of the TC Win Cody is questioning the budget line items in the Cranbury budget.
| Quote: | | "Wash Water Reclamation System – Ms. Marabello stated this item in the Budget is needed by the Township to be in compliance for storm water regulations imposed by the State. Ms. Marcelli recommended the $50,000 which was the lowest of the four (4) options and a one-time solution to hook up to the sewer system and would be used to wash Public Works vehicles. Mr. Cody asked if there are other options and if those options could be looked at. Everyone agreed to research this item further." |
it also seems to be catching also to the other TC members, as fiscal responsibility is at the fore front more so now with the TC then our cranbury employees it seems.
Read about how Mr Stout was promoting a better option then the $200,000 brickyard road repair.
And how another
At least Ms. Smeltzer canceled the ROAD INVENTORY that the Public Works Manager wanted.
but what about the $7,000 camera to take pictures of the sewer system consultant wants, can we not just rent a waterproof one when needed? How often do we need to take video anyway?
And I wish I had my own "Wash Water reclamation System" for 50K but maybe water in Cranbury is sooooo expensive that this line item will make a big difference, dont know.
Mr Cody's statements of using a backup drive instead of buying a $2,400 server should be a signal to all Cranbury employees to stop wasteful spending. It should never have gotten to the TC this more cost effective request should have been figured out by our IT person. It frustrates me how Cranbury employees dont do there due dilligence and disreguard the poor economic situation we are all in NJ, all employee need to start thinking about ways of reducing spending in Cranbury. Its not business as usual anymore and we cant just goto the surplus nest egg like we are doing this years budget by using an additional $1.5 million more spent by our local government. All industries I know of have reduced staff and expenses this year, and Cranbury has increased 1.5mil, why? |
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Ed K
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| Posted: Wed, Mar 4 2009, 3:59 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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| Ed K wrote: | After reading the last TC Minutes from 2/9 meeting I was pleased to read about how our newest member of the TC Win Cody is questioning the budget line items in the Cranbury budget.
| Quote: | | "Wash Water Reclamation System – Ms. Marabello stated this item in the Budget is needed by the Township to be in compliance for storm water regulations imposed by the State. Ms. Marcelli recommended the $50,000 which was the lowest of the four (4) options and a one-time solution to hook up to the sewer system and would be used to wash Public Works vehicles. Mr. Cody asked if there are other options and if those options could be looked at. Everyone agreed to research this item further." |
it also seems to be catching also to the other TC members, as fiscal responsibility is at the fore front more so now with the TC then our cranbury employees it seems.
Read about how Mr Stout was promoting a better option then the $200,000 brickyard road repair.
And how another
At least Ms. Smeltzer canceled the ROAD INVENTORY that the Public Works Manager wanted.
but what about the $7,000 camera to take pictures of the sewer system consultant wants, can we not just rent a waterproof one when needed? How often do we need to take video anyway?
And I wish I had my own "Wash Water reclamation System" for 50K but maybe water in Cranbury is sooooo expensive that this line item will make a big difference, dont know.
Mr Cody's statements of using a backup drive instead of buying a $2,400 server should be a signal to all Cranbury employees to stop wasteful spending. It should never have gotten to the TC this more cost effective request should have been figured out by our IT person. It frustrates me how Cranbury employees dont do there due dilligence and disreguard the poor economic situation we are all in NJ, all employee need to start thinking about ways of reducing spending in Cranbury. Its not business as usual anymore and we cant just goto the surplus nest egg like we are doing this years budget by using an additional $1.5 million more spent by our local government. All industries I know of have reduced staff and expenses this year, and Cranbury has increased 1.5mil, why? |
In most businesses I have worked at there usually is a CFO that will meet with the budget requester to listen to his budgetary needs of the project/department. Then a good CFO asks:
1) What are your other options and budget? (what is your plan b,c,d...)
2) What if we dont do it this year, what will be the result?
Do we do this, before a budget request goes to the TC I wonder?? |
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Guest
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| Posted: Thu, Mar 5 2009, 3:35 pm EST Post subject: Re: Budget |
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SPECIAL TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MINUTES
BUDGET MEETING
JANUARY 31, 2009
"The Township Committee discussed increases this year for Township staff. Mayor Stave reported she had recently attended a staff meeting and had expressed to them the difficult economic times everyone is going through. The Township Committee made a decision to give only full-time employees a 1 ½% raise and have them give the 1 ½% back to the Township to pay for their health care benefits."
I'm I missing something - How can this be possible.
Cranbury TC open your eyes and look around - people are without jobs, many companies have pay freezes and even salary reductions. Example: HP across the board 5% salary decrease.
How is it possible that we give an across the board pay increase to full time employees? |
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Concerned Citizen
Joined: Fri, Mar 13 2009, 9:47 am EDT
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Fri, Mar 13 2009, 9:50 am EDT Post subject: Re: Budget |
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| FYI - All Township employee salaries are public information and can be viewed at APP.com under Data Universe. Just enter "Cranbury Township". VERY INTERESTING READING!!!! |
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quest
Guest
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| Posted: Sun, Mar 15 2009, 1:42 pm EDT Post subject: Re: Budget |
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| No wonder our town has no money. Did you read the Press this week. How could someone possibly rent this much farm land for so little money. Something smells wrong. |
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retired
Guest
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| Posted: Sun, Mar 29 2009, 10:38 am EDT Post subject: Re: Budget |
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| Ed K wrote: | After reading the last TC Minutes from 2/9 meeting I was pleased to read about how our newest member of the TC Win Cody is questioning the budget line items in the Cranbury budget.
| Quote: | | "Wash Water Reclamation System – Ms. Marabello stated this item in the Budget is needed by the Township to be in compliance for storm water regulations imposed by the State. Ms. Marcelli recommended the $50,000 which was the lowest of the four (4) options and a one-time solution to hook up to the sewer system and would be used to wash Public Works vehicles. Mr. Cody asked if there are other options and if those options could be looked at. Everyone agreed to research this item further." |
it also seems to be catching also to the other TC members, as fiscal responsibility is at the fore front more so now with the TC then our cranbury employees it seems.
Read about how Mr Stout was promoting a better option then the $200,000 brickyard road repair.
And how another
At least Ms. Smeltzer canceled the ROAD INVENTORY that the Public Works Manager wanted.
but what about the $7,000 camera to take pictures of the sewer system consultant wants, can we not just rent a waterproof one when needed? How often do we need to take video anyway?
And I wish I had my own "Wash Water reclamation System" for 50K but maybe water in Cranbury is sooooo expensive that this line item will make a big difference, dont know.
Mr Cody's statements of using a backup drive instead of buying a $2,400 server should be a signal to all Cranbury employees to stop wasteful spending. It should never have gotten to the TC this more cost effective request should have been figured out by our IT person. It frustrates me how Cranbury employees dont do there due dilligence and disreguard the poor economic situation we are all in NJ, all employee need to start thinking about ways of reducing spending in Cranbury. Its not business as usual anymore and we cant just goto the surplus nest egg like we are doing this years budget by using an additional $1.5 million more spent by our local government. All industries I know of have reduced staff and expenses this year, and Cranbury has increased 1.5mil, why? |
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retired
Guest
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| Posted: Sun, Mar 29 2009, 10:52 am EDT Post subject: Re: Budget |
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I dont know how we can complain about spending the money to wash the equipment that we as tax payers pay for. If its about the money in these times then why dont we eliminate the leave collection or the chipping service or maybe the clean up weekends ,better yet NO more snow removal just wait for the snow to melt in the spring. NOW doesnt that sound stupid. If the service doesn't personally get used by the tax payer then we hate the idea BUT REALISTICALLY we need to maintain the equipment it's a reflection on our town,when people visit. | retired wrote: | | Ed K wrote: | After reading the last TC Minutes from 2/9 meeting I was pleased to read about how our newest member of the TC Win Cody is questioning the budget line items in the Cranbury budget.
| Quote: | | "Wash Water Reclamation System – Ms. Marabello stated this item in the Budget is needed by the Township to be in compliance for storm water regulations imposed by the State. Ms. Marcelli recommended the $50,000 which was the lowest of the four (4) options and a one-time solution to hook up to the sewer system and would be used to wash Public Works vehicles. Mr. Cody asked if there are other options and if those options could be looked at. Everyone agreed to research this item further." |
it also seems to be catching also to the other TC members, as fiscal responsibility is at the fore front more so now with the TC then our cranbury employees it seems.
Read about how Mr Stout was promoting a better option then the $200,000 brickyard road repair.
And how another
At least Ms. Smeltzer canceled the ROAD INVENTORY that the Public Works Manager wanted.
but what about the $7,000 camera to take pictures of the sewer system consultant wants, can we not just rent a waterproof one when needed? How often do we need to take video anyway?
And I wish I had my own "Wash Water reclamation System" for 50K but maybe water in Cranbury is sooooo expensive that this line item will make a big difference, dont know.
Mr Cody's statements of using a backup drive instead of buying a $2,400 server should be a signal to all Cranbury employees to stop wasteful spending. It should never have gotten to the TC this more cost effective request should have been figured out by our IT person. It frustrates me how Cranbury employees dont do there due dilligence and disreguard the poor economic situation we are all in NJ, all employee need to start thinking about ways of reducing spending in Cranbury. Its not business as usual anymore and we cant just goto the surplus nest egg like we are doing this years budget by using an additional $1.5 million more spent by our local government. All industries I know of have reduced staff and expenses this year, and Cranbury has increased 1.5mil, why? |
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