Fairhope, Alabama
The city council has been debating whether to appoint citizens with financial credentials to a new Financial Advisory Committee -- as done by the last Council. Council members Brewer and Burrell favor it, to provide added public input and open scrutiny of city finances; but the mayor and remaining council members generally believe the existing regular Finance Committee (consisting of the council members only) should be sufficient.
Brewer added the committee would be advisory only (make no decisions) and could help them understand the voluminous and notoriously complex finances.
Burrell told the Times he was disappointed that all the members of the previous FAC had resigned and he had some names in mind for new members.
Mayor Kant said subcommittees could possibly be created instead to study specific issues (ie. converting city vehicles to natural gas) but worried about "un-elected persons" influencing city finances. (Kant left the door open to the Advisory Committee however, provided its purposes were clearly delineated.)
Brewer told the Times later that adding 2 citizens to the regular Finance Committee may be an acceptable compromise.
The city council has been debating whether to appoint citizens with financial credentials to a new Financial Advisory Committee -- as done by the last Council. Council members Brewer and Burrell favor it, to provide added public input and open scrutiny of city finances; but the mayor and remaining council members generally believe the existing regular Finance Committee (consisting of the council members only) should be sufficient.
Brewer added the committee would be advisory only (make no decisions) and could help them understand the voluminous and notoriously complex finances.
Burrell told the Times he was disappointed that all the members of the previous FAC had resigned and he had some names in mind for new members.
Mayor Kant said subcommittees could possibly be created instead to study specific issues (ie. converting city vehicles to natural gas) but worried about "un-elected persons" influencing city finances. (Kant left the door open to the Advisory Committee however, provided its purposes were clearly delineated.)
Brewer told the Times later that adding 2 citizens to the regular Finance Committee may be an acceptable compromise.
Comments
The more public scrutiny of how our tax and utility bills are spent the better.