Dear "Concerned Citizens of Kearney";
I know you’ve covered most of this already, but I think that a clearer and more concise picture of Kearney’s downward financial spiral is needed here so readers can really get a sense of the damage that’s being done. From the talk around town, it sounds like people are starting to see what’s going on, but there are still many who don’t seem to know the whole story. There are many who are only now just learning of your website and there is a lot of information to read through. I’m hoping that my letter will help bring the current financial crisis to the forefront. I would rather that you don’t publish my name or email. Thanks!
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Paul Tomlinson, as a councilor (2006 to 2010) and now as mayor, has an abysmal history of financial mismanagement.
2008: The town had to return a $10,000 government grant that was supposed to fund recreational activities for the children of Kearney because Councilor Tomlinson, chairman of the Recreation Committee, violated the terms of that grant.
2009: Councilor Tomlinson, publicly predicting Kearney’s financial collapse, voted against Mayor Johnston’s budget, demanding an 8.3% increase in municipal taxes. The rest of council voted against Tomlinson and at the end of the year the town still made a surplus. If I’m not mistaken, that surplus was deposited into the “Reserves”.
2008 to 2009: Councilor Tomlinson, as chairman of the Budget Committee blew more than $50,000 of the town's money (our taxes) paying a financial consultant to do simple data entry at 14 budget meetings.
2011: Mayor Tomlinson cancelled the shared Chief Building Official (CBO) agreement with the Perry Township (which was costing Kearney only $35,000 a year) in favor of hiring his own exclusive CBO at a cost of about $110,000 a year!
Because of reduced town revenues (unlike previous councils Mayor Tomlinson hasn’t been getting any provincial and federal grants or funding) Tomlinson's 2012 budget requires a withdrawal from “Reserves” of $2.3 million, which is almost as much as the total 2012 property tax revenue of $2.9 million. This will almost completely deplete the town’s “Reserves”. Where will we get the money for 2013 and 2014?
Tomlinson knows that he and Deputy Mayor Louise Wadsworth have put Kearney into serious financial trouble so he’s empowered his CBO/By-Law Enforcement Officer with new by-laws to use to raise $10,500 in “septic-tax” ($70 per inspection x 150 inspections). But, the septic hit the fan and Tomlinson wasn’t able to charge the $70 to the property owners. But Tomlinson has already spent the $10,500 in his 2012 budget, so where will that money now come from?
April 13th council meeting: Because Mayor Tomlinson created a huge deficit in 2011, council had to pass a resolution to redirect $150,000 in surplus money generated in 2010 (Mayor Johnston’s council) into “Working Capital”, instead of being saved in the “Reserves”.
Flash back to an earlier council meeting: Tomlinson got a resolution passed to take money out of the Dog Sled Races fund and Kearney Regatta fund. But this money doesn’t belong to him or the town and Tomlinson had to give it back after he was busted by the auditors.
Kearney Regatta 2012: Tomlinson has killed the Street Dance which generates the funds to finance Regatta. Who's going to pay for that now?!?
To summarize: As a councilor, Paul Tomlinson wasted $60,000 of our money. Now that Tomlinson is mayor, during his term his CBO will cost us about $440,000, Kearney’s “Reserves” will have been wiped out, more businesses will have closed, fewer building projects will have been started (only 2 so far), residents will have lived in fear of CBO Henry Hess’s knock at their door, and more of our poor will see liens put on their properties.
LIENS ON OUR PROPERTIES?!?
Yes! Mayor Tomlinson’s latest initiative is to generate revenue on the town’s downtrodden and unemployed by seizing their homes and property the moment they fall behind on their tax payments. Just so he can give his Proudfoot friends a 9% municipal tax decrease to offset the 9% provincial property tax increase they have to pay after their waterfront cottage property were reassessed. Previous councils ruled more with compassion instead of greed and worked with the less fortunate to assist them, not punish them. But then previous councils weren't clawing for every cent to stave off bankruptcy while serving another master.
And where do you think that is headed? The poor of Kearney rely on food banks and charitable service clubs to put food on the table but Mayor Paul Tomlinson will solve that problem by taking away the table. He's already cancelled town funding to charities.
But who cares, right? We’re only “Townie Trash”. Right, Mayor Tomlinson?!?
Tomlinson’s 2009 prediction about Kearney’s financial ruin was incredibly accurate, but he just wasn’t looking far enough into the future at the time. If you still think we can afford Mayor Paul Tomlinson, his CBO/BEO, and his Proudfoot henchmen at the council table for another 3 years, there is no hope.
But if you do want to do something about it, spread the word and sign the petition that's been circulating. The petition demands Tomlinson’s immediate resignation along with Barry Dingwall and Louise Wadsworth. The new mayor can give CBO Hess his pink slip and make amends with our good friends in Perry Township. Yes, those friends who roll up their sleeves and pitch-in here in Kearney when the "Proudfoot Four" don’t bother show up. (On a personal note: I think it has become more the "Proudfoot Three". Councilor Steve Sainsbury seems genuinely interested in serving the people of Kearney, even if his earliest efforts were misguided because of the influence of others.)
A final note: The information I’ve provided is as accurate as possible and is based on the 2012 town budget, council meeting agendas & minutes, town records, and correspondence.
Thank you Concerned Citizens of Kearney. Keep up the good work!!
(Name Withheld by Request)
Thank YOU!
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