By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

Whiteville City Councilman Howard Jones upbraided City Manager Joshua Ray Tuesday in a sometimes heated exchange over spending.

The discussion took place at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the City Council.

Prior to approving the Fiscal Year 07-08 budget, Jones criticized Ray for the city’s recent purchase of three used pickup trucks, a used car, and two new motorcycles, as well as radios and Tasers for the police department. The items were purchased using leftover funds from the 2006-07 fiscal year.

Ray explained that the trucks were required to replace aging vehicles in the city fleet that were too expensive to maintain, and pointed out that the vehicles could not be replaced during the next budget since the city will not have a tax increase.

Ray said he shifted other vehicles between departments where they could be better put to use. A Dodge Intrepid previously used as a city travel car replaced a worn-out Ford Taurus at the police department, Ray explained, and other vehicles were reallocated to areas where they could be better used. Ray said the $4,500 used car purchased for administrative use by the city is used as a travel car for the board and staff members attending meetings, conventions and classes.

The Tasers were previously requested, Ray said, and the radios replaced the department’s non-functioning walkie-talkies.

“I just don’t feel management has the authority to make these purchases without telling someone,” Jones said.
The city operates on a budget ordinance, rather than a line-item budget requiring board approval for every individual expenditure. Under a council-manager form of government, the council essentially approves a lump sum for government operations, based on the manager’s recommendations and projections.

Jones and Ray exchanged sharp words during the discussion over the two new patrol motorcycles purchased by the police department.

Jones especially questioned why the leftover funding was spent, rather than turned back in to the city coffers.
“When I see $50,000 being spent at the end of the budget year,” he said, “I want to know where it’s going. I’d appreciate if you’d tell me. If I see money being transferred around, it makes me curious what’s going on.”

Jones never made it clear at Tuesday’s meeting how he felt about the motorcycles when first contacted about the purchase. At the meeting, he said he was against the purchase, due to safety considerations, effectiveness and the cost.

“I don’t see where we need them,” Jones said. “I didn’t know this was coming.”

Ray said he contacted each member of the council in person or by telephone in the weeks prior to the purchase, to see how the council felt about the $11,000 motorcycles.

“When I tried to talk to you, you were too busy,” Ray said. “I have tried repeatedly to contact you for the last 10 days to two weeks, and had no real response.”

“Did you try my cell phone?” Jones angrily asked.

“Yes, sir,” Ray said.

“Don’t call me a liar,” Jones said.

“Don’t call me one either, sir,” Ray replied.

Councilman Tim Blackman asked why Ray contacted the board, if making the purchases was in his authority as manager.

“I didn’t want to blindside anyone,” Ray explained. “I didn’t want you to be surprised by this.”
“I thought you were just polling the council to see if it was a good idea,” Blackman said.

Ray explained that Mayor Dial Gray was the only member of the board who did not respond positively to the potential purchase of the motorcycles.

Councilman Terry Mann said he also felt like the manager was just polling the board, although he approved of the motorcycles. Other board members said they had heard “nothing but favorable comments” about the motorcycle patrols, although they were somewhat surprised by the purchase.

“I didn’t know he could spend that much money without board approval,” Mann said. Ray explained that he is responsible for managing and balancing the budget funding as approved by the council, not each individual action.

Jones also questioned Ray about the $2.50 increase in water and sewer rates, wondering if the increase was required. The city recently obtained an additional $1.125 million in grant funding for the wastewater treatment plant project. The town council voted late last year to help fund the construction through a series of water and sewer rate increases.

Ray explained that the $2.50 increase will help rebuild the utility fund’s fund balance, which has received no additional money for three years. Operating expenses for the water and sewer system were being augmented by money from the fund balance, a trend Ray warned the council needed to stop.

“So this increase is just an increase?” Jones asked. “It isn’t going to debt service or construction costs?”
“It’s not that clear-cut, Mr. Jones,” Ray said.

“It looks to me like you just took the money out to put it in the general operating fund,” Jones said.
“How do you want me to say it?” an obviously exasperated Ray said.

Gray said he hoped the disagreement over the rate increase and the vehicle purchases would lead to “better communication” between the council and the city staff.
Councilman Harold Troy was blunt.

“I would like to request we don’t allow our meetings to deteriorate into what happens with some other local boards,” he said. “I don’t want us to become like some other boards, especially one that is very close by. I won’t call any names, but I think we can do better than that.”