Supervisors under the gun at FY 2020 budget public hearing

Not seeing eye-to-eye: some elements of the crowd targeted the trio of supervisors most unwilling to question EDA processes – from left Dan Murray, Linda Glavis and Tony Carter – for particular criticism. Royal Examiner Photo/Roger Bianchini

On Tuesday evening, April 9, Warren County’s elected officials found themselves between a rock and a hard place: a room full of people – estimated at 204 by one count – some wanting them to raise teacher salaries to address a long-festering yearly exodus of experienced teachers to other school systems with measurable negative impacts on student testing and achievement results; some wanting a proposed 6-cent real estate tax increase, at least some of which is committed to fund those teacher salary hikes, reduced to zero; and some wanting BOTH.

Then there were those, who despite a budget public hearing preface that the EDA financial scandal had no direct impact on preparation of the FY 2020 budget, weren’t buying in to that notion – at least as it applies to three sitting supervisors’ ability to exert adequate oversight to prepare the annual County budget – especially when two County department heads enmeshed in that scandal, Sheriff Daniel McEathron and School Superintendent Greg Drescher, are at the point of preparation of two of the largest County departmental budgets.

“Miss Mounce, is there anyone signed up to speak at the public hearing,” Chairman Dan Murray asked Board Clerk Emily Mounce of the evening’s one agenda item.

“Yes indeed, about 50 people,” Mounce informed the chair.

As comments critical of the board; the proposed tax rate hike that will have a separate public hearing on May 7; the perceived lack of oversight that allowed alleged EDA financial misappropriations of at least $17.6 million to take place over the past three years; and even the call for higher teacher pay drew applause, Board Chairman Murray admonished the crowd to observe meeting protocol and refrain from applause or sign waving.

As the applause continued to punctuate the public hearing Murray eventually altered his strategy to asking the crowd to keep that unsanctioned applause to a minimum duration.

See the April 9 public discussion of the FY 2020 budget, County priorities and accountability issues in Royal Examiner’s videos – in fact, we’ll try to edit it to the “must-see TV” highlights, including Supervisor Sayre’s claim of fear for his personal safety over pursuit of questions about EDA processes…

Citizens ‘not happy’ with the Board of Supervisors