Roberts to brief commissioners
Fayette County Controller Mark D. Roberts is about to become a permanent fixture on the county commission meeting agenda, as Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink has penciled him in to give a regular “Report on the Financial Condition of the County.” At Tuesday’s agenda meeting, Zimmerlink noted that since Roberts had made that offer several months ago, she planned to formalize it and have him give the report either at the agenda meeting or the regular meeting that usually follows two days later.
The move means that at least twice a month, Roberts will provide an oral report to the commissioners and the public on the state of the county’s fiscal health. A multi-million-dollar deficit that ballooned in 2003 and continued through 2004 was at the heart of the commissioners’ decision earlier this year to raise property taxes 60 percent for 2005.
Roberts, who serves as the county’s chief fiscal watchdog, appeared at Tuesday’s meeting to read aloud the interest rates for two large investments of county funds, one for 14 days and one for seven days.
But Roberts said that since he had only gotten notification that morning of the desire for him to give a full report each meeting week, he wasn’t prepared to give such a report. He said that his office is currently working on closing the books for 2004 and, if all goes according to plan, he should be able to provide the report when the commissioners next meet on Jan. 31.
“Right now we are in the process of closing the books for 2004,” said Roberts, who noted that this work should be done by the end of this week.
Zimmerlink said she plans to put Roberts’ report on the agendas for all agenda meetings and regular meetings, but he can choose which of the two he wants to speak at in any given week.
Roberts said he would prefer to be placed relatively high on the agendas, so he can know more precisely what time he’ll be speaking. That way, he said, he can budget his time more effectively and get back to his office.
In other matters, the commissioners:
??Discussed a $25,000 payment to the Fayette County Airport Authority for water service to the newly constructed FACT Transportation Center. Zimmerlink said county solicitor Joseph E. Ferens Jr. is coordinating a meeting between the involved parties in an attempt to iron out remaining differences. “I’ll follow up with Joe Ferens and see where he’s at,” she said.
??Put on the Jan. 31 agenda a vote to award a contract to provide a county Web site. The county has solicited proposals from interested private firms, and also has the option of contracting through the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.
??Put on the agenda a vote to designate the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority as applicant and administrator of $2 million in state funds to support continued development of the Fayette County Business Park.
Redevelopment authority Executive Director Raymond C. Polaski said his authority already has the required local match in hand, accrued primarily from proceeds from the sale of land in the park.
??Put on the agenda, at Polaski’s request, approving an application for $412,000 in state funds to finance the redevelopment authority’s first-time homebuyer’s program. Polaski said the money, if awarded, would enable 20 additional people to purchase their own homes.