Officials' cash concerns still linger

PORT RICHEY -- Even with a balanced budget in place, the Port Richey City Council still isn't very happy.

Last month, the council approved a budget after weeks of frustration over scarce revenues, questions about revenue projections and complaints about the form the budget came in.

On Tuesday night, two council members continued to criticize City Manager Vince Lupo and voted to restrict his access to a new reserve fund.

Vice Mayor Pat Guttman and council member Phyllis Grae both told Lupo that they were still concerned with city finances: Guttman questioned reserves, and Grae was worried about $320,000 in compensatory pay the city owes employees.

"I spend almost as much time working on (city finances) as I do on my job," Guttman said, questioning why reserve funds were being spent on city bills.

Lupo defended himself, telling them that tax money comes to the city unevenly and that the city's auditors have signed off on his use of reserve funds so long as they are replenished when tax money arrives.

The city will get a large amount of money -- $680,000 -- when it finishes the sale of city land near Wal-Mart at U.S. 19 and Ridge Road next week.

But the council unanimously voted to take whatever was left after current budget needs and the broker fees were paid and put it in a reserve fund that requires a council vote before it can be spent.

Before the vote, Lupo told the council that it didn't need to vote; the fund was already created.

"Well, I would feel better," Guttman replied.

Later in the meeting, Grae told Lupo that it was his fault that compensatory time equaling $320,000 in pay had built up.

Lupo said he has now eliminated comp time for Port Richey employees -- this after he eliminated overtime during the budget process -- and that he has been watchful since he was hired.

"If you were as mindful as you are trying to convince me of, none of this would have happened," Grae said.

-- Matthew Waite covers Port Richey city government. He can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6247 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6247. His e-mail address is waite@sptimes.com .

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