Bee Editorial
Town Board needs to make serious changes
During the final seconds of Nov. 20 Amherst Town Hall resembled the

scene of a high-power Wall Street stock market pit. Seeing this, it is obvious changes are needed in the management and operation of the Town Board.

The board was facing a midnight deadline in which to vote on the 2007 budget, but after a three-and-a-half-hour spending discussion, debates were still taking place, members from all sides of the table were shouting for votes to be taken, and department heads were desperately calling attention to the shortfalls they were facing.

It was a scene of mass confusion, but when the clock struck midnight the shouting stopped, town employees took their seats and looks of "What do we do now?" appeared on board members' faces.

It was too late for more amendments, votes on resolutions to restore funding could not be taken and the Town of Amherst was without a board-approved 2007 budget. What was left was Supervisor Satish Mohan's tentative $110 million budget and amendments that had been approved, which brought the budget to $112 million.

There were no excuses for why the budget vote came down to the final minutes. To date, there have been few reports about other towns in New York State that were in this situation. The problem wasn't just with council members spending far too much time on their soapboxes in an attempt to have their resolutions passed that night. They knew since this summer that the town had budget problems.

Mohan found that the 2006 budget would be overspent and has been working to remedy the problem. That was the perfect opportunity to begin serious development of the 2007 budget - this should have happened months ago. Department head meetings should have been called, but we were told on numerous occasions - Mohan confirmed this - that some meetings did not happen due to lack of time.

Well, now you have time. The 2008 budget is due in one year, so start the process sooner rather than later. With Comptroller Frank Belliotti, who has 40 years experience; a supervisor with a year under his belt; and department heads well-seasoned in their professions this process should not be as painful as it was the past few months.

The Town Board was required by state law to adopt the budget by midnight, and it didn't do that. It's time members took a hard look at their meetings, the time spent on soapboxes and how to get their work done. Nov. 20 was an embarrassment to the town, and residents need to push for serious changes.