Comptroller’s report from 2014 shows need for changes in Murray

Posted 14 September 2017 at 9:49 am

Editor:

After reading the NYS Comptroller’s report, written July 2014, and finding many numerous places the law has been broken, including money collected to pay down the water bonds and interest, and then using it for operating expenses. Shame, Shame!

This breaks local finance law! In addition, from fiscal years from 2009-2013, 35 inter-fund transfers totaling more than $3.7 million were made and five of those loans, totaling more than $1 million were not authorized by the board. The board’s failure to review and approve interfund advances, as required by law, limits its ability to monitor the town’s financial affairs.

As you continue reading the report, you will find six or seven major things by the board and supervisor that brings the comptroller to the point where he says, “Due to the poor condition of the Town’s financial records and reports, the Board was not in a position to appropriately evaluate the Town’s true financial condition or effectively monitor the Town’s financial operations.” Shame! Shame! Shame!

Mr. Sidonio brought to light that $286,000 was collected to pay down water debt and interest was not used for that purpose. We have been trying to find out for over a year where that money went and the board refuses to tell us! Shame, Shame!

I could go on forever, but I would rather take this time to thank Mr. Sidonio for enlightening the town, not only with the items I’ve mentioned, but many other things that need correcting!

I wish the present status quo would spend their time addressing the issues rather than to tear Joe down!

There are ten towns in Orleans County. In the last few years, we went from paying $2.00 per thousand for taxes, to $4.86. Shame!

We also were number two out of towns and now have gone to number seven, soon to be number eight!

By the way, I want to tell you about my friend Joe. He is a good man! I have known him for over 12 years and I have found him to be honest, a man that respects and loves his family. He does the best to help the elderly, he supports the youth in many different ways, especially at the 4-H. He cares for the people in the town of Murray and their future. Did you ever notice how he puts his phone number down and says, “Call me anytime! I want to help you!”

Joe is one of us and has the expertise to get us back on track.

I might mention that the present board is still breaking their own laws by voting in a person in January 2017 to the planning board, to a five-year term that is not a farmer, when section 810 says that one of the members must be a farmer!

The fact that Joe is successful business man and also has a degree in accounting, and knows what the bottom line means puts him at the top of the list for me when it comes to supervisor!

There is an old saying, “If you can’t elevate yourself above a man, then pull him down below yourself.”

To some of the current board members that are going around trying to tell people how bad Joe is, make sure you hand out a copy of the NYS Comptroller’s report, showing what a bad job you did as our representatives. I feel like Donald Trump: It’s time to drain the swamp!!

Yours truly,

David Piedmonte

Murray