Tuesday, January 03, 2012

ERRP: Sad State of Council Minutes


Surprising San Angelo's leaders lowered the transparency bar again.  One might expect an important motion specifying the exact use of $343,000 in Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP) funding to make the minutes.  It didn't.

A vote was taken on the motion on the floor. AYE: New, Alexander, Silvas, Adams, Hirschfeld, and Farmer.  NAY: Council member Morrison. Motion carried 5-1.

It was hard watching the replay of the council meeting, with staffers gathered around the computer, trying to get the right words on the screen.  All that work and the epistle wasn't shared with the public?

Council acted like ERRP funds were iffy, until the check arrived from Uncle Sam in December.  City Council rushed to spend the money in a jiffy, to avoid "federal strings."  In their excitement Council broke the only ERRP string, that federal funds not displace, i.e. lower, current local commitments.

Good thing it's all on tape, beginning in November 2010.  It'll make quite the movie.

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