Mayor Schroeder Assesses Our Financial Wreckage

Editor, The Ocean Star:

We, your new mayor and council, are discovering problem after problem left from the previous administration — problems that are costing the taxpayers.

Many are already aware of our latest discovery — the borough’s bookkeeping for at least the last four months of 2010, and possibly longer, was essentially non-existent. The general ledger of our previous chief financial officer [CFO] is a rat’s nest of cross-outs, white-outs, entries in pencil — unacceptable for a Little League fundraiser, much less for a multi-million-dollar municipality.

Handling taxpayers’ money is a public trust, which requires both careful spending and responsible record-keeping. It is hard to determine our current position, because the record keeping is so sloppy it’s hard to believe it’s not deliberate. We have been handed a situation in which it is impossible to know our exact financial position — fixing the damage has already cost the taxpayers $45,000, and we are not yet done.

As part of the newly elected majority, we are fixing the problem. We are implementing a system of checks and balances to insure that all financial transactions are documented, approved and accounted for.

An accounting firm is carefully reconstructing the financial records from previous years, and our new auditor will carefully examine their work. We will bring in independent reviewers, including state agencies, if, when and where appropriate. Finally, we will hire a new, qualified CFO to replace the CFO from the previous administration.

It’s hard to believe the previous administration would let this happen. But, we are getting this under control. You have my word that as long as I am mayor, and as long as I have leaders like Jack McHugh, Chris Leitner and Chris Goss working with me, it will not happen again.

WILLIAM SCHROEDER, MAYOR OF POINT PLEASANT

Letter To The Editor: Cultural Events, Arts, And Recreation Advisory Board

Proper planning and foresight will enrich our community and bring critical, long-term tax relief. The Cultural Arts, Events, and Recreation Advisory Board being proposed for Point Pleasant is a significant step in the right direction.

Our borough’s parks and facilities are a testament to the value we place on our open spaces, and provide the ideal setting for every variety of event and occasion, offering limitless opportunity.

We find ourselves as a community at a daunting but fortuitous crossroads. Tough economic times are not only a chance to make our town simpler and more efficient; they demand innovation and creative, long-term investment. You cannot just take shears to a rose bush; you have to carefully prune and deadhead in anticipation of next year’s growth to produce the brightest blooms.

This is exactly the task we have before us. We have the means and the opportunity to encourage commercial growth and cultivate our town’s identity as a destination spot. What we need is the willingness to look beyond what’s satisfactory and strive for what is extraordinary.

Events like a bigger and bolder Summerfest, a Relay For Life that is a point of pride and held in the heart of town, car shows, summer theater, and concert events can help transform Point Pleasant from the town you drive through on the way to the beach, to the town where you spend an afternoon with your family.

Parks, eateries, boutique storefronts and a vibrant calendar of events will make us the envy of towns like Brick, Howell, Jackson, and even Toms River or Lakewood — towns that either lack the cohesion or small-town feel that we all enjoy here.

The expanded scope of the Advisory Board will give its members the ability to advocate for and cultivate a climate that will attract visitors and new businesses to our town, bringing with them the economic growth and relief we need.

Now is the time to strive for our potential and share what makes Point Pleasant so special.

To Promote, Or Not To Promote: That Was Never The Question

The question was brought recently to the PD if there was a way to cut down “Officer In Charge” pay. This is essentially additional pay incurred by gaps in the command structure that have been left by downsizing or other circumstances. The recommendation came back that since the PD is down three sergeants, according to their current organizational structure, one promotion to sergeant would satisfy most of the demand and that two would be better still.

Adding frustration to this situation was the Sergeant’s List which was set to expire with no clear indication of when the next test and list will be. Unfortunately the public conversation about this matter became about the promotion(s) and who may or may not be considered. The command structure of the PD and the efficiency of their operations in a difficult climate were not the issue. The issue was whether or not there was a way to save money. After much examination and debate over cost, and not personnel, a consensus could not be reached, and the decision was made that no action should be taken, at least until there is a clearer picture of this year’s budget.

Perhaps by the time the next list is available our financial situation will have improved and we will have found an innovative way to address our difficulties and demands. It is unfortunate that this matter was perceived as a personnel issue. That is exactly what Civil Service is designed to avoid, to establish a ranking based on performance and not personality. It’s not perfect, but it is certainly better than making it purely a matter of discretion or politics.

I would like to apologize to the officers and family in attendance. Even if a decision had been made to promote, there would still have been approvals with Civil Service and the PBA needed before the promotion and oath be taken.