Document: Revised Budget from 'Secret' Weekend Meeting

Port Chester's Republican trustees met privately this past weekend to draft 80 amendments to the village budget, blindsiding members of the public in a move that could lead to an investigation.

Village the Republicans – and one conservative – violated the state's open meetings law when they met in private this weekend to draft the budget amendments.

Most of the proposed changes were voted through on Monday night along party lines. The revised budget was not made available to the public or the press, and came after a month-long that included half a dozen at the courthouse and the Port Chester Senior Center.

Republicans say they did what was necessary in an effort to trim the $36 million budget without layoffs or cuts to . The cuts follow a series of public meetings in which residents urged trustees to slash spending to provide tax relief.

Board Democrats and some residents were not happy with the private budget amendments, saying the weekend meetings were a throwback to the days of "backroom politics" in Port Chester.

"In the budget that I sent to you gentlemen and the staff today...we didn't eliminate one position, we didn't cut anybody's salary, we lived up to all our contractual obligations to the best of our knowledge," said Trustee Bart Didden. "What we have done here is create a doc that compels our managers...to manage their departments."

While the amendments might have been well-intended, some residents said, the changes should have been made with public input and discussion. Trustee Daniel Brakewood, a Democrat, said he plans to call for an investigation to determine whether Republican trustees broke state law.

"The ends do not justify the means," Brakewood said, "and we will get under the covers and figure out everything."

Click the box at top right to view a copy of the revised budget with the amendments proposed by Trustees Bart Didden, Joseph Kenner, Sam Terenzi and John Branca.

Below is the text of an e-mail sent from Didden to Mayor Dennis Pilla, village professional staff and the trustees who did not participate in this weekend's private budget talks. The e-mail is timestamped at 8:58 a.m. yesterday:

Mr. Mayor,

Please find the attached proposed budget that I will offer as an amendment for tonight’s budget approval process. Should you have any questions I am available to both you as well as the staff and of course my fellow Trustee’s at yours and their convenience.  

The attachment has been prepared in the format that was designed by the Treasurer so that we will have all the required information for our final resolutions for this evening.  

There is an added column to make it easy for everyone to find the changes of this proposal.

I would like to thank Trustees Terenzi, Branca and Kenner who worked very hard on this submittal.

I will also thank Leonie Douglas, Chris Russo, Chief McFadden, and Chief Krzeminski, all of whom were very responsive to our weekend phone calls that made this process possible.  

Bart Didden

Trustee
Village of Port Chester

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