City to Apply for Early Intervention
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
Bradford City Council has taken a tremendous step in the right direction toward rectifying the city’s financial problems, according to Mayor Tom Riel.
During its meeting Tuesday, council agreed to take any and all actions necessary to initiate the application process for the state’s Early Intervention Program.
The program, administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development, was designed to help municipalities that are financially troubled, but not yet formally distressed. The Early Intervention Program supports municipalities by offering grants that can be used to pay costs associated with hiring an independent financial consultant to prepare a three- to five-year financial plan and management review of the municipality.
“This is probably one of the biggest steps the City of Bradford can possibly take to try to rectify our financial problems,” Riel said. “It’s probably overdue, but I think … it’s going to work for us and it’s a tremendous step in the right direction.”
Councilman Jim Evans said he has been in favor of the program since last fall when a DCED representative was in Bradford to explain it.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Evans said.
Councilman Rick Benton said, because of the magnitude of the city’s financial problem, they need to find – through cuts or “revenue enhancement” – money equal to 15 percent of the budget, which equals $1 million.
He said that’s necessary to accomplish everything council wants to accomplish.
“The only way we’ve balanced the budget in the last X number of years is by nickel and dimeing,” Benton said. “ We don’t put a penny beyond what we absolutely have to into buildings. Any of you who have driven on a street know we have not paved any streets with our own money. The amount of money we could just spend on that is phenomenal.”
“If we don’t get this thing under control the streets, just to use that particular example – it’s going to be like a Wild West rut,” he said.
Riel noted that other municipalities in the state are worse off than Bradford, but getting into the program now is “a wise decision.”
WESB/WBRR News Director
Bradford City Council has taken a tremendous step in the right direction toward rectifying the city’s financial problems, according to Mayor Tom Riel.
During its meeting Tuesday, council agreed to take any and all actions necessary to initiate the application process for the state’s Early Intervention Program.
The program, administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development, was designed to help municipalities that are financially troubled, but not yet formally distressed. The Early Intervention Program supports municipalities by offering grants that can be used to pay costs associated with hiring an independent financial consultant to prepare a three- to five-year financial plan and management review of the municipality.
“This is probably one of the biggest steps the City of Bradford can possibly take to try to rectify our financial problems,” Riel said. “It’s probably overdue, but I think … it’s going to work for us and it’s a tremendous step in the right direction.”
Councilman Jim Evans said he has been in favor of the program since last fall when a DCED representative was in Bradford to explain it.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Evans said.
Councilman Rick Benton said, because of the magnitude of the city’s financial problem, they need to find – through cuts or “revenue enhancement” – money equal to 15 percent of the budget, which equals $1 million.
He said that’s necessary to accomplish everything council wants to accomplish.
“The only way we’ve balanced the budget in the last X number of years is by nickel and dimeing,” Benton said. “ We don’t put a penny beyond what we absolutely have to into buildings. Any of you who have driven on a street know we have not paved any streets with our own money. The amount of money we could just spend on that is phenomenal.”
“If we don’t get this thing under control the streets, just to use that particular example – it’s going to be like a Wild West rut,” he said.
Riel noted that other municipalities in the state are worse off than Bradford, but getting into the program now is “a wise decision.”
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