Westfield City Council Postpones 2022 Budget Vote to Review $ 5 Million in Proposed Reductions • Current Publishing

On October 11, Westfield City Council voted on the 2022 budget after councilors said they needed more time to consider more than $ 5 million in cuts than they learned on October 9 to balance the proposed budget of $ 64 million.

The reductions include eliminating the purchase of three pickup trucks and five police vehicles, reducing the crack street maintenance program, and postponing construction of a roundabout at 169th Street and Carey Road and a vertical curve correction at 151st Street and Oak Road.

The originally proposed budget included over $ 8 million in capital expenditures, such as police cars, which in recent years were funded by general bond bonds. However, the current city council wants to issue bonds less often to pay for capital expenses, so many of these expenses have been added to the city’s budget, resulting in an increase.

Mayor Andy Cook has said he does not agree with most of the cuts proposed in the 2022 budget and with postponing a vote as city officials have been working for months on the draft. budget, which includes contributions and questions from the city council.

“I think this process right now, this delay, this delay, this delay is making fun of our budget process,” Cook said. “I think our citizens look at us as (we are the) federal government, bicker, bicker, bicker, get off until the last minute and get started, and I don’t think our citizens deserve that.”

Troy patton

City Councilor Troy Patton, who virtually attended the meeting, said Cook and his administration picked the proposed cuts and delaying the vote “has no consequence” as state law sets the deadline for adopt a budget. through November, 1st.

“The point is, you want to keep spending half a million dollars on lawsuits and stuff. It’s your prerogative, but we don’t have to like it, ”Patton said, referring to Cook’s ongoing lawsuits against Clerk-Treasurer Cindy Gossard. “To say that we have to vote on this tonight, I think that’s ridiculous. It’s like giving someone something at the last minute and saying, ‘Hey, trust us on this.’ “

The board voted unanimously to meet again the week of October 18 to discuss the budget further, although a meeting date was not immediately set.