Dear Editor:
(In response to, ‘Where’s the Village of Goodrich logic??, The Citizen, Nov. 28, page 6):
Why would a Village of Goodrich councilmember misrepresent the facts?
As a concerned citizen for the Village of Goodrich who was present at the village monthly council meeting in November, I would like to answer the comments that Patricia Wartella presented to The Citizen. The CPA firm of Lewis & Knopf gave its annual audit report of the village. In the report they gave the village a high mark on handling government financial affairs by our management team. They also pointed out that our community finances are positive and that we had increased our reserves by some $50,000.
I am very upset that Wartella has misrepresented the facts about the running of our village finances for years. The truth of the matter is, we should be proud of what a great job our management team and board have done during the past. If we look at the news, many other government agencies are in the red today and have big problems. So when Wartella talks about cutting various projects in the village, I have to thank God that we have a great team looking after our village’s interests. I would also remind everybody that our CPA for the village has given us a clean bill of health. I feel that Wartella does not represent the good wishes of our community.
Wartella mentioned in the article a couple of the village staff members had over 20 years. Because of their loyalty, it was requested for them to get another week of vacation a year, which would not affect the village budget. Wartella could not understand why it would not cost the village any increase to the budget. I am surprised a member on the council could not understand this fact and still comment on the financial affairs of the village. I do not understand Wartella’s logic. Is Wartella on the same page at these meetings as the rest of us? This matter of vacation was tabled at this meeting, even though it would not cause any extra expense to the community.
In the article, Wartella said that the village had dumped the library in Atlas Township’s lap. If I look at the record, I find that Wartella voted yes for the resolution and it was not because the village could not afford to operate it. The truth of the matter is, 75 percent of the use of the library had been for the citizens of Atlas Township and 25 percent was used by the village. The village has been paying the expenses for years and the library is really set up for all citizens of Atlas Township, which included the village residents that also pay Atlas yearly taxes. The real truth of the situation is, it made much more sense that the village turn over the library to the township.
I am very concerned that Wartella only makes statements that are not true and tries to scare the citizens of the village that we may get a tax increase. If the true facts are looked at, the exiting council lowered taxes by 30 percent a few years back, and the team has stayed within its budget by increasing its reserves this year by $50,000. I think it is time we, as citizens of Goodrich, recognize that Wartella does not state the facts correctly and we need to look to the real facts.
Norman Bass,
a concerned citizen of Goodrich