Public Trust High on City Budget! Brentwood budget, that is! Not Nolensville's Budget Wrapped in Secrecy!

Brentwood--"With a $50 million operating
budget on the line, you'd think there'd be
more contention over such a large sum of
cash." CLICK HERE for article in paper.
Remarks have been amicable and no resi-
dent stood to ask a question? Why? "be-
cause the talent our staff has in putting
everything together in managing the
budget." Said Anne Dunn,Commissioner.

Now compare the above Brentwood situation to
Nolensville budget meetings? Yes, there is a big
difference in budget $$$$'s, but procedure and
full disclosure is where our interim mayor falls
flat. Granted few citizens attended, but if there is
no executive summary of the budget and no
opportunity for citizens to study a copy of the
budget--why attend? Why indeed? Normally,
a budget meeting would include interim mayor
giving an executive summary line by line and
then invite questions. Not so in Nolensville's
meeting. Only one brief question asked "How
much over the budget will current year to date
be?" Interim mayor said he didn't know. Maybe
15% or more not sure.

Interim mayor did form a budget sub-commit-
tee that met (nobody knew where or when) and
worst of all some aldermen were not invited.
Come the budget meeting the few citizens that
attended got no opportunity to study budget
prior to meeting. Another curious thing was that
the town attorney answered most of the budget
questions directed to interim mayor? And rather
evasive answers at best.

Examination of current budget line by line is a
big question mark? This was not permitted. So
if certain accounts seemed 2-300% over budget
no one can question it. Interim mayor and staff
are never questioned so things don't change and
they aren't open to audit? Let the sunshine in!
No telling what kind of "hide & seek" accounting
is being done.

As we already reported no one in our budget
meeting was really certain where funds from
the state adequate facilities tax were used in
our budget?

And last, but not the least interim mayor and
vice-mayor had to be"pounded-on" to adequat-
ely fund the fire and police departments. Slowly
and painfully they responded the fire chief and
police chief to add monies requested to both
budgets. The interim mayor's excuse for not
funding these budgets was they gave the money
to entire staff as raises. Tell that to a homeowner
whose house is on fire and they cannot get there
in time due to shortage in equipment or vehicles?
As we said before this budget meeting had to be
the worst ever in performance and accountability.
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