Nov. 1, 2016 @ 9 am - Bl. Twp. 3rd Quarter INVESTMENTS

Hi All,

Notice of Special Study Session
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
9:00am
To Be Discussed:
Investment accounts through 3rd Quarter with Gregory J. Schwartz and Company

Bloomfield Township study session of the  Investment Reports from Treasurer Dan Devine.
(Trustee Brian Kepes will assume the Treasurer position after the November elections)

This is a public meeting. 

QUESTION:
Why no study session scheduled for the 3rd quarter FINANCIAL reports? The Investment Reports and the Financial Reports should both be presented and discussed at study sessions quarterly.  The 3rd Quarter Investment and Financial  documents are found in the Board Packet for Oct. 26, 2016   even though neither topic was on that agenda to discuss.

That 10-26-16 meeting lasted about 20 minutes.  Certainly there was time and opportunity for a financial report by the Financial Director and the Supervisor to the Trustees and the public.  But, despite Savoie's claim of open and transparent.... he is not and often does not demand that of the various township departments either.

Before the end of this year,  Supervisor Savoie must present a preliminary 2017-18 budget.  He is responsible for the budget, not the Treasurer.   Savoie will be working with the Finance Director, Jason Theis and presumably the many different Department Heads.   I would think that Savoie also would consult with the elected Trustees, but I see no Study Sessions planned for financial/budget purposes.   There was no study session with the trustees about the UHY LLP - Bl Twp 2015 audit/ see: board packet for Oct. 10, 2016), either.      Budget and Audit links.

Below is just 2 sample links from:  
Munetrix --- data is gathered from many sources including data provided by township officials. 

What you should know about the chart below is:

2011 was the first year showing the effects of the new ten year 1.3 mills approved by voters in 2010.
2011 was the year Leo Savoie was appointed Supervisor.  

https://www.munetrix.com/Michigan/Municipalities/01-SEMCOG/Oakland-County/Township/Bloomfield-Township

Notice the heading  "GENERAL" Fund Data...   much more going on than that !  Explore the entire Munetrix site.  Remember, Munetrix and UHY, LLP gather much of their data from information the township provides..   Hmmmm.  Is there more data or different data that the township could provide?   Just asking.

Multi-year General Fund Data for Bloomfield Township

Year Data Status Indicator Score Population Revenues Expenditures Fund Balance Long Term Debt Taxable Value 2018 Forecast 0 41,258 $16,656,000 $16,492,000 $12,177,777 $105,845,411 $3,675,000,000 2017 Budget 0 41,258 $16,342,833 $16,312,657 $12,013,777 $111,938,376 $3,568,000,000 2016 Historic 0 41,258 $16,450,122 $15,784,233 $11,983,601 $120,254,376 $3,465,000,000 2015 Historic 0 41,200 $15,920,148 $15,721,964 $11,313,967 $126,258,942 $3,364,207,210 2014 Historic 0 41,128 $14,563,012 $14,421,529 $11,143,640 $137,631,092 $3,245,848,860 2013 Historic 1 41,092 $14,171,053 $13,640,435 $5,887,645 $48,894,091 $3,167,371,380 2012 Historic 1 41,086 $14,650,850 $14,188,945 $9,868,340 $64,227,248 $3,096,798,011 2011 Historic 1 41,070 $14,618,946 $12,169,433 $9,487,995 $52,957,133 $3,155,385,640 2010 Historic 2 41,070 $10,207,028 $10,306,849 $7,963,751 $52,792,399 $3,404,549,680 2009 Historic 2 41,037 $11,931,195 $11,597,071 $8,156,480 $54,837,972 $3,878,712,490 2008 Historic 1 40,913 $11,986,805 $10,922,007 $7,822,356 $58,330,223 $3,948,259,831 2007 Historic 41,090 $12,207,763 $10,324,250 $6,757,558 $30,947,090 $3,921,613,999 2006 Historic 43,023 $11,398,614 $9,226,930 $4,874,045 $32,325,812 $3,733,005,810

See this chart next:  
https://www.munetrix.com/sections/charts /chrevenues_my.php?MunID=1607&Orientation=Function&FundCode=1

BREAKING NEWS- DAVID THOMAS, WRITE-IN Candidate for Twp SUPERVISOR

Hi All,
David Thomas has officially entered the Bloomfield Township race for Supervisor as a WRITE-IN  candidate.

On your official ballot for November 8..... in the Bloomfield Township Supervisor section.... under the name of Leo Savoie..... is a blank line and a blank circle beside it.   That is there for the opportunity to write in another name for that position.

I AM ENCOURAGING all to choose the WRITE-IN option  and write-in  David Thomas for our next Supervisor.  Thomas lost in the Aug. 2 primary by only 452 votes.   

How to do that:     in the blank line (space) under Leo Savoie's name......  write:   DAVID THOMAS    and then you MUST FILL IN THE CIRCLE to the right of David Thomas's  name.    BOTH name and fill in circle must be completed for the write-in to count.

Now..... are you one of the 5000 people that already turned in your absentee ballot to the township?   Don't worry.  You can "SPOIL"  that ballot... which means you have the township destroy that ballot and they issue a new ballot.   You should do it in person at the Clerk's office by Friday, November 4.   Bring your driver's license or other ID proof.   They will "spoil" your ballot you already returned and give you a new ballot to fill out.   It is not too late to make the right decision.

Vote on Nov.  8.    Choose write-in candidate for Bloomfield Township Supervisor: David Thomas

On the ballot you will see:

Township        (as a heading)

Supervisor
Vote for not more than one

Leo C. Savoie             O
Republican

------------------------    O         This is where you would choose  to write on the line or in the space:    DAVID THOMAS    and completely fill in the circle with your pen.


REMEMBER.....  VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ONE... ONLY FILL IN THE CIRCLE NEXT TO THE NAME YOU WRITE:  DAVID THOMAS AND FILL IN ONLY THAT CIRCLE

Thank you.
Marcia

"Refunding Bonds" Removed from Wed. Agenda (10-26-16) and D. Thomas letter to Editor

Hi All,
Well,
The township CHANGED the online posted agenda for this WEDNESDAY,  Oct. 26, 2016  Board of Trustees meeting @ 7 PM.

They have REMOVED the REFUNDING of BONDS  from this agenda.  Hmmm.  Could it be because of my blog on this issue?

Or could it be because of a letter to the editor of the Birmingham Eccentric that was published in the print edition of the Sunday,  October 23, 2016 edition?   David Thomas,  (who lost to Leo Savoie in the August 2, 2016 Republican Primary for the Bl. Twp. position of Supervisor... by less than 500 votes)  was the author of that letter to the editor opinion piece.   (I could not find the letter online, so with permission from the author, the letter is copied at the end of this blog.)

Or was the issue of refunding the bonds removed because the township leadership and their NO BID contractors are getting nervous about how the township often conducts business?

Perhaps the feds are now looking at this municipality and contractors ?

At any rate,  the REFUNDING of the BONDS  is no longer an agenda item for Wed., Oct. 26.    To be rescheduled for a different meeting.

NEW AGENDA POSTED:
The "To Be Discussed at a Later Date"  notice is the only place on this website that notes the change... and even then,  does not even acknowledge the fact that the online agenda posting said something else previously.  Wonder what else gets changed electronically at Bloomfield Township without notice?


Reprinted with permission from David Thomas.

What Are Our Tax Dollars Paying for in Bloomfield Township?
Bloomfield Township has one of the highest property tax rates for a Michigan Township.  What are we getting for that? Special millages pay for Police and Fire; SAD’s pay for sewer and road improvements, and residents pay for trash pick-up. So what are we really getting for our tax dollars? 
This question is very relevant given the recent expose on the Rizzo trash hauling bribery case in Clinton Township.  No bid contracts were the basic issue of the investigation.
Presently Bloomfield Township has three executive positions that are costing the taxpayer approximately $430,000 plus cars, maintenance, gas, insurance, and perks bringing the cost of these positions to approximately $500,000 or more annually.  They were asked multiple times in Trustee meetings to put in place a procurement policy that requires competitive bidding for professional services and outside contractors.  Every time they refused to do it, often with smirks on their faces. What is more troubling, many of the beneficiaries of Township contracts were campaign donors to the Supervisor and others.
Last February the Trustees renewed the latest contract with Rizzo, without any competitive bidding.  After last Sunday’s revelations in the Detroit Free Press about the pay for play in Clinton Township the question has to be why? 
The bigger question is why should the public continue to pay these folks the big bucks when they are obviously not interested in doing their basic fiduciary duty.  I cannot think of a better reason to reduce their positions to part time with a stipend of $20,000 annually; no cars or benefits, and replace them with a city manager who will do the job properly.
In April 2015, the Trustee’s attempted to make the case for reducing the Treasurer’s job to part time.  The Supervisor tried to make the case by citing the fact that the Deputy Treasurer did most of the work and that the Treasurer did not have to put in a full 40 hours to do the job. Observing the vehicles in the Township parking lot each day; a case could be made that none of the leadership is there 40 hours a week.
Bloomfield Township will soon have an administration made up of three people who all have outside business interests, several with potential or direct conflicts of interest with running the Township.  We now have a unique time and legitimate reason to make these positions part time.
If the Trustees are not willing to do their most basic function; protecting the taxpayers hard earned money, then it is time to reduce their pay.  They have been acting cavalier with our tax dollars by placing a major multi-million-dollar contract that spans multiple years without getting at least 3 bids! 
Rizzo has provided very good service, but that alone does not exclude them from having to bid on any renewals. Having an effective purchasing policy and competitive bidding are cornerstones in helping to keep our taxes down.
Signed,
David C. Thomas
2945 W. Hickory Grove Rd.