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The
Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
March 17 - March 23, 2005 Edition
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OP ED Why the county lawsuit is important to taxpayers March 10, 2005 By E. Winn Davis Much has been said about the recent trial in Superior Court between the County of Dukes County, the county airport manager(s), and the county Airport Commission. It is indeed unfortunate to have such ongoing litigation between governmental departments, but sometimes it becomes necessary in order to settle a conflict between two state laws, and that is what happened here. The county commissioners have no choice and must follow the county charter that was voted overwhelmingly by the citizens of the county of Dukes County and follow the personnel bylaw for all county employees. The previous Airport Commission was guided by a general state law governing airport commissions, even though Martha's Vineyard Airport is the only county-owned airport in the state. The difference between these two views is oversight and protection of public funds. The county commissioners believe that every dollar of public money should be spent only after careful scrutiny at various levels. The first part of oversight and protection of public funds is the six-step county budget process. Step 1 - The appointed airport manager proposes the budget to the Airport Commission; Step 2 - The appointed Airport Commission reviews the budget, makes changes, and recommends the budget to the county manager; Step 3 - The appointed county manager adjusts the budget to keep everything in balance and recommends it to the county commission; Step 4 - The elected county commission reviews the budget, makes changes to meet public policy, and recommends it to the advisory board on county expenditures; Step 5 - The advisory board on county expenditures, which is comprised of one elected selectman from each town in the county, makes changes as needed, publishes the budget, holds a public hearing, approves the final budget, and recommends it to the state county government finance review board; and Step 6 - The state county government finance review board reviews each recommended budget, makes changes as needed and ultimately approves the county budget. The previous Airport Commission would have us believe that they have complete control over the public funds that they receive and never have a review outside of the airport or by any elected or state official. In their view, the airport manager proposes a budget and the airport commission approves it, and that is it. The county has previously made up any deficits the airport had, and it is entirely foreseeable that the airport may have a deficit again. You, the taxpayers, will have to pay for that deficit. This is why multiple reviews of budgets by officials directly responsible to you, the voters, are so very important. The county commission, as defendant in this lawsuit, is merely trying to preserve public oversight of county funds. E. Winn Davis is the Dukes County manager. |
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