LETTER: Limit Finance Committee To Trustees

4-16-10

 To the Editor:
I find it curious that your reporting on the Village Board’s organizational meeting under new Mayor Joe Booan covered our discussion of the Village Gateway Committee but omitted discussion of controversial appointments to the Finance Committee.
I raised objections to the mayor’s new Finance Committee on principle because it includes, as one of three members of what is perhaps the village’s most important committee, an individual who is not currently a trustee.  This allows someone with no accountability to the public to exercise immense influence on village finances.
There are many village boards and committees that include members of the community whose expertise and hard work contribute immeasurably to Cooperstown (Water, Sewer, Parks Board to name a few).  Without these dedicated volunteers our village could not function.
However, there are important and sensitive issues of finance, personnel and public safety that have traditionally been handled by trustee committees comprised only of elected officials and staff.
Trustees are sworn to act in the best interest of the village, and they can be held accountable publicly to the residents who elect them.  We’re not experts on every topic we must make decisions on, but our government is not supposed to be run by experts. It’s supposed to be run by elected officials who represent the residents and are answerable to them.
The role of the Finance Committee is to make recommendations to the Board of Trustees on what is arguably our most important responsibility, the allocation of financial resources.
The new Finance Committee consists of two trustees with a total of one year of board experience between them, and Eric Hage, who is no longer on the board and is not accountable to anyone. Despite my respect for the mayor’s right to make appointments, I find myself unable to support this choice.
During our three years together on the board, Eric and I often disagreed on issues, but I appreciated all that he brought to the table, and I like and respect him personally. But he’s not a trustee now, and I find his appointment to the Finance Committee troubling.
The majority of the board disagrees with me, but I feel the appointment of a non-trustee to the Finance Committee is inappropriate.
LYNNE MEBUST
Village Trustee
Cooperstown