Letters: Enea defends accounting, treatment plant, sewer fees

I believe that our small-town community newspaper should have the correct facts before writing an editorial.

I believe it is totally unfair to compare Crescent City with the federal and state budgets. We are not out of money like they are; in fact, we had an accounting management problem. In short, the money was put in wrong accounts. Our audit for the 2006-2007 fiscal year was just completed and guess what — every penny is accounted for.

By January, we will have our 2007-2008 fiscal year audit done and I venture to say that all monies will be accounted for.

Here are the facts as to what happened in our finance department. Our finance director of several years retired in early 2006, as did our long-time city manager. We advertised far and wide to fill the positions. We were able to finally hire a person from Washington state. He stayed about one year, then left.

Our next finance director came from Humboldt County with very little experience. The budget process was turned upside down. I was appointed to the council in July 2006 and was given three budgets in two months. That finance director was let go shortly after that.

We then had to hire an interim retired finance director until we found a permanent one. He took one look at our budget and said he needed an accounting consultant to get our books in order. The cost to the city was nearly $75,000 as we looked for a finance director.

We finally were able to find an excellent person to fill the position. The other $85,000 went to pay for our yearly audit, which is done every year, so we did not throw away $60,000 in a failed attempt to balance the books as you stated in your editorial.

You also state that the council approved the sewage treatment plant expansion without knowing how to pay for it. In fact, we held several public meetings, as reported in your paper, regarding the fact that increased monthly rates would pay for it.

Another fact is other cities on the North Coast are paying much more in sewer fees. Also remember, our basic water rate is $9 a month, which is the lowest anywhere on the North Coast.

I am committed to our community and am asking for your vote on Nov. 4 for City Council.

Richard Enea

Crescent City