Supervisor Brian X. Foley
State of the Town Address
Our Findings

• Capital projects routinely run over budget and there appears to have been a general lack of fiscal oversight.
  
• Unexpended balances from older capital projects were often used for related purchases, at times items that should be purchased with operating funds.
  
• Capital budget lines are too general and lend themselves to lack of accountability.
  
• Department and division heads in the past were routinely told not to worry about budget constraints – spending went unchecked.
  
• Budget line intended to pay for pension benefits used for other expenses.
  
• Across the town, we’ve found a proliferation of overtime costs and workers assigned to perform out-of-title work, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  
• Outdated technology prevents them from coordinating effectively to provide services, issue permits, and enforce town codes: In the buildings department, issues were still being tracked on index cards. 
  
• Parks Department buildings and grounds in embarrassing and abysmal shape – the yard looked like it had weathered a natural disaster – with materials and debris strewn everywhere.
  
• Roofs of town buildings leak, our recreation centers are in dire need of repair, and far too many of our parks our not accessible for our handicapped residents.
  
• No system for regular park maintenance, renovation and reconstruction.
  
• No procedure for following up on expired building permits and accessory apartment CO’s. Permits are simply allowed to lapse.
  
• Building Department utilizing an archaic filing system, including use of index cards
  
• Exceedingly low penalties for violating building codes.