Administration open about choices

To the editor:

First of all, let me just say I sincerely respect and have had the privilege to work with both Kent McClung and Ray Cooney over the last eight years.

Second, any administrator that is not receptive to question or constructive criticism on the decision-making process is not a listener and/or too self absorbed in his or her own power.

Ray Cooney did a great job of outlining the makeup, duties and responsibilities of each board. However, there has been a change in Indiana Code of park board makeup. Both park board president Rod Ashman and I successfully lobbied the state legislature to change park board makeup. Former District 33 State Rep. Greg Beumer was instrumental in taking the language out requiring no more than two members of the same party and the requirement to seat either a school or library representative on the park board. Now the mayor can appoint up to five city residents to park board without any other requirements. Portland city ordinance has yet to be updated to reflect those changes, but I plan to ask city council to do so.

So, now let’s get to the “rest of the story” as to the “Who’s in Charge?” regarding both the cleanup of the Kelly Baggs Nature Trail and the recycling contracts. The board of works does have the authority to award contracts. Both the Kelly Baggs and recycling issues were discussed at park board and city council meetings, respectively. City council’s role is to make sure the budget and funding is available for these projects. Park board has its own budget and independent authority to approve projects and the funding of these projects.

The Kelly Baggs Nature Trail project was not funded by park board budget or funds. The budget for 2019 that city council had approved did have funding available for the Kelly Baggs project through economic development income tax (EDIT) funds, just not enough was still available to cover the entire contract. City council did approve the additional funding for the Kelly Baggs Nature Trail project, and yes it was after the board of works had already approved the contract. However, the city council for many years has always approved the claims docket for any expenses the city has incurred for the previous month after purchase orders and the work has been done. Has this administration and many administrations before us tried to stay within the current year’s budget? Absolutely, but there was $600,000 of EDIT fund available for projects.

Finally, everyone needs to know that the City of Portland has always been subject to State Board of Accounts audits and budgets approved by Indiana Department of Local Government Finance. Since 2009 when I became involved in city governemtn, the city has been audited seven times and had 10 budgets submitted to the Department of Local Government Finance. City council president Bill Gibson, clerk-treasurer Lori Ferguson and I just finished a couple weeks ago with what is called an “exit interview’ with the State Board of Accounts reviewing the findings of the latest auditor of city practices and finances. After two months of reviewing city documents there were no findings.

In fact, Ray Cooney and Kent McClung, as well as any other citizen of our community, can go on the State Board of Accounts website and see any or all City of Portland audit reviews. Not only will you see that we have never had any issues, but please compare our audits with many other government entities; even those close within Jay County borders, and you will not find very satisfactory audits.

My point is, we have followed Indiana Code, Department of Local Government Finance requirements and city ordinances as well as the city’s purchasing policies. The Geesaman Administration has been very open and had public discussions on these two issues and many more that decisions have been made all for the betterment of the City of Portland.

Mayor Randy D. Geesaman

Portland