Another Off Budget Purchase

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
April 1

During the Police Chief's report he presented the BOA with a proposal to purchase a mobile radio for the second squad car.  (this probably should have been done when the original radios were purchased but resistance by one particular female alderman stopped that).  Gary explained the $3,500 price tag would be partially funded by donations from the Women's Club and the St Pats organization.  The amount to be donated was estimated between $1,800 to $2,000 and the City funding the remainder.  Jerry asked whether the donated funds included the recent St Pats event, noting it was well attended.  Gary said the donations were prior to the latest beer blast.  Jerry thought maybe Daryl (Coleman, head of St Pats Blast) should be contacted.  At this point Alderman Clark asked if the purchase was in the 2014 budget...answer, no.  City Attorney John opined there would need to be a resolution for the purchase because it was off budget.

Opinion:  I think Gary made the case for purchase of the radio, with or without donations, it is needed equipment. No problem.  I do have a problem with the item not being in the budget, the Mayor and Chief should have submitted the request as part of the 2014 budget, the need was apparent last year.  It is another example of Jerry counting on donated funds to cover an expense (See EAG) and coming up short...had the funds been available in Jerry's mind it would have been a simple in and out transaction.

The discussion of the radio died, no resolution was offered by an alderman, so the Chief was left to pin down the final donation total for the next BOA...and no radio.