Misstatements
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
Editor, Times-Union:
As current town council president, I would like to clear up a few misstatements in Aaron Wilcoxson’s recent letter in support of Winona Lake Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks.
During the recent candidate forums, Retha has explained the clerk-treasurer’s job is outlined more completely in Indiana law, than any other elected office. Retha correctly stated the clerk-treasurer is to keep the minutes of the meetings, keep an accurate accounting of the town’s revenue and expenses and file legal reports.
Wilcoxson states, “Ms. Hicks is a numbers person.” I disagree. Currently, the council is working with budgets that are incorrect, which she claims is the fault of the software program she chose and her solution is to wait until August for it to be corrected. Errors abound in budgets, legal notices and during each of the past three years, the ordinances she has provided to the council setting the wages for herself and others, have contained calculation errors.
Wilcoxson believes that Retha “was responsible for the creation of a capital budget.” According to Retha, our capital budget was designed by someone else in 2001. Retha is unable to update the budget to include current dates or to remove unnecessary yearly information, she does not understand the difference between proposed and actual expenditures, often stating the capital budget is in a deficit, when in fact, it is not.
“Improved the town’s cash flow per Retha’s recommendation to reserve 6 months of incoming revenue.” Winona Lake keeps a six-month operating balance as a “cushion”, a recommendation by Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) for all cities and towns, not Retha.
Wilcoxson stated, “She fights to ensure that Winona Lake residents receive fair rates, and maintains our town’s investments to guarantee consistent returns.” Indiana state law prohibits clerk-treasurers from making decisions regarding investments. Interest rates are solicited from local banks and by law placed in the bank with the highest yield.
Wilcoxson, again, stated “Finally, Ms. Hicks is committed to fiscal responsibility. Winona Lake's tax rate is $0.55, the lowest in Kosciusko County. Retha’s due diligence and sound financial recommendations over 18 years are a primary reason that our rate is so exemplary. I have observed her perform careful financial analysis of proposed town expenditures and then recommend in the best interest of the residents of Winona Lake.”
Clerk-treasurers do not set tax rates. Tax rates are compiled by using past and future budgets and revenue projections and then sent to the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) who reviews it and certifies it before approving a tax rate. Winona Lake's tax rate is actually, $0.5752, not $0.55 and while good, it is not the lowest in Kosciusko County. Nor does the clerk treasurer analyze or make recommendations regarding proposed town expenditures. The town council is responsible for making those decisions.
Sue Gooding
President
Winona Lake Town Council
Winona Lake, via e-mail
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Editor, Times-Union:
As current town council president, I would like to clear up a few misstatements in Aaron Wilcoxson’s recent letter in support of Winona Lake Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks.
During the recent candidate forums, Retha has explained the clerk-treasurer’s job is outlined more completely in Indiana law, than any other elected office. Retha correctly stated the clerk-treasurer is to keep the minutes of the meetings, keep an accurate accounting of the town’s revenue and expenses and file legal reports.
Wilcoxson states, “Ms. Hicks is a numbers person.” I disagree. Currently, the council is working with budgets that are incorrect, which she claims is the fault of the software program she chose and her solution is to wait until August for it to be corrected. Errors abound in budgets, legal notices and during each of the past three years, the ordinances she has provided to the council setting the wages for herself and others, have contained calculation errors.
Wilcoxson believes that Retha “was responsible for the creation of a capital budget.” According to Retha, our capital budget was designed by someone else in 2001. Retha is unable to update the budget to include current dates or to remove unnecessary yearly information, she does not understand the difference between proposed and actual expenditures, often stating the capital budget is in a deficit, when in fact, it is not.
“Improved the town’s cash flow per Retha’s recommendation to reserve 6 months of incoming revenue.” Winona Lake keeps a six-month operating balance as a “cushion”, a recommendation by Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) for all cities and towns, not Retha.
Wilcoxson stated, “She fights to ensure that Winona Lake residents receive fair rates, and maintains our town’s investments to guarantee consistent returns.” Indiana state law prohibits clerk-treasurers from making decisions regarding investments. Interest rates are solicited from local banks and by law placed in the bank with the highest yield.
Wilcoxson, again, stated “Finally, Ms. Hicks is committed to fiscal responsibility. Winona Lake's tax rate is $0.55, the lowest in Kosciusko County. Retha’s due diligence and sound financial recommendations over 18 years are a primary reason that our rate is so exemplary. I have observed her perform careful financial analysis of proposed town expenditures and then recommend in the best interest of the residents of Winona Lake.”
Clerk-treasurers do not set tax rates. Tax rates are compiled by using past and future budgets and revenue projections and then sent to the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) who reviews it and certifies it before approving a tax rate. Winona Lake's tax rate is actually, $0.5752, not $0.55 and while good, it is not the lowest in Kosciusko County. Nor does the clerk treasurer analyze or make recommendations regarding proposed town expenditures. The town council is responsible for making those decisions.
Sue Gooding
President
Winona Lake Town Council
Winona Lake, via e-mail
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