So there really is one of these after all. Here is a picture of it.
The original Constitution of Oklahoma.
The original was one hundred and ten pages long.
Yet even today, it is a live working document that still requires adherence. It reaches out to the limits of all of the borders of the state it was written for. It, along with the State Statutes, covers all of the land of the Great State of OKLAHOMA!
Even in a little town like Buffalo its presence can still be felt. It is still alive and kicking. In spite of everything, its perseverance has a hold over our municipal officials. Because of this document the town board will be voting on an agreement with a CPA to do an internal audit to determine the statutory salaries for the town clerk and town treasurer.
Is this a great state or what?
THE INTERNAL AUDIT IS IN!!!!!
The board voted to enter into an agreement with Derrell White CPA for $1500 to audit the treasurer and clerk's accurate salary.
ReplyDeleteThe internal audit that was done by the town of Buffalo's auditor has been released. I'll give you the good news first. The audit cost came in less than the estimate by $193. The clerical errors that have occurred regarding the statutory pay raises may cost the taxpayers of Buffalo over $16,000.
ReplyDeleteDid I misunderstand it? That is $8000.00 for clerk and $8000.00 for the treas. each for the past 2-3 years? Well that would be 1 yr@ $16000.00 and 2 yr@ $32000.00 and if they could go back 3 yrs@ $48000.00
ReplyDeleteThe city lawyer was not clear on if they could go back 2 or 3 yrs. So where will the $$DO-RAY-ME$$ come from?
Put yourself in this scenario, if you dare.
ReplyDeleteYou go to work everyday, you work your butt off. Your boss feels you deserved a raise because of your performance. So he gave you one. You are thrilled!!!
Then 6 months later you find out that everytime you get a raise so does the secretary. What?
Everytime you get a performance raise, cost of living, anything because of what YOU do, she gets one too. No matter if she is deserving or not.
Granted it is not the EXACT amount, but everytime you or anyone else gets a raise she gets one based on the average raise for you and you co-workers.
Do you still feel thrilled?
That is what Ordinance # 329 does. As simple as that.
Everytime that a field worker gets a raise, so does the clerk and treasurer.
If James gets a raise due to finding and securing some amazing grants, so do the girls.
If Joe gets a raise for busting his hump to fix some outrageous problems, so do the girls.
Are you still thrilled?
I do not believe you. That would be beyond dumb for any employer to set something up like that. I bet you are just spinning it like you always do.
ReplyDeleteLIARS.LIARS.LIARS
ReplyDeleteThat would be unfair to the other employees. Our Trustees are not always right but they at least try to be fair. No way what you wrote is right!!!
That would be like whenever a LPN at the hospital got a raise Gerganna would get a rais too. We don't work that way. This is really too far outside the box, even for you.
ARE YOUR PANTS ON FIRE?
I think when people are posting "supposed facts" they should be made to name themselves rather than posting anonymously. Otherwise they cannot be held responsible for spreading possible lies and in some instances the legality of postings seem questionable. As moderator, please check into and consider this.
ReplyDeleteFrom: Susan Harper...
ReplyDeleteI have to agree somewhat. I have been waiting to see how this played out. I have kept mum and watched from the sidelines, no more. So here are the facts, as we know them.
Ordinance #329 does, in fact, guarantee a raise to the Clerk and Treasurer, every time ANYONE gets a raise from the Town of Buffalo. It is averaged out for the year and then given to them beginning July 1st of the next year.
If you give a raise to the hourly employees of 5%, then you take that 5% raise and divide it into the entire payroll, minus the statutory income, and that reduced percentage is given to the girls the next July. Granted, they are not to receive the 5%, but they will get a 1-3% raise for no particular reason other than that is how the ordinance is written.
The Oklahoma Municipal League does have this in their documents; however, just because a for-profit group has it in their information does not mean we have to adopt it. They are not the "legal voice" of any town; they will even admit that every time you call for advice. We should be going by what is best for our individual town and/or situation.
Now this was NOT the intent of the policy. It has even been stated, for the record, on tapes of the meetings that this was not what was understood or expected. However, this is the current interpretation.
Is it fair? Absolutely not. Should it be changed? Decidedly so. A merit raise to an hourly employee should not guarantee a raise to someone else, ever.
This item will show up many more times at the Board meetings, it must be changed. It is truly embarrassing that we ever instituted this in the form it is in now.
Now, the question is, "when an across the board raise is instituted shouldn't the girls get this one?" I feel that they should and they do. They get this raise on their employee portion of their income. Let me clarify this.
The Town Clerk and Treasurer get monies for 2 areas.
First is the Statutory Pay. This pay is for doing the work that they are ELECTED TO DO. The same as the governor, congressmen, Sheriff or any other elected official. When they first ran for office they knew that this pay was set by ordinance and would not change until re-election. All elected officials know and understand this prior to running for office.
Second is at-will pay, this means they are also an actual employee of the Town for additional duties outside of the scope of their “statutory” duties. This section can be given merit raises, across the board raises anything that the Board wants to do. They are an employee like anyone else in this section.
Elected officials do not get special privileges, or at lest should not. This Ordinance #329 gives them something that they have not earned. They get a raise based on someone else’s merit raise.
I have attached a link to the actual ordinance. Please read this closely and you will see what is occurring. If you have questions, please call me or respond here. This is an important issue that needs to be very clearly defined, corrected or nulled.
At this point my opinion is in the minority. I truly cannot understand why, but accept that all are entitled to their opinion. What is yours?
HERE IS A COPY OF ORDINANCE #329
Susan Harper
Town Trustee
Town of Buffalo
Thank you Susan for presenting this the way you did. It is informative without chiding. Posting communication this way is far more productive and helpful.
ReplyDeleteThose who don't believe what the Town did, get off your lazy butts and go to the City Hall and look it up for yourselves. Or follow the link to the ordinance posted at Inside Buffalo.
ReplyDeleteYou think it's a spin? Why not attend the board meetings and find it out for yourselves. If Onside is lying or Inside is lying or wrong and they are spinning it why not put your money where your mouth is and do something about it. Have your lawyer sue his ass off. You won't because you know its the facts. The facts are the facts.
I overheard this exact same thing at the diner the other day. You people are just unhappy with the fact that they do their research and are right. The attorney for Buffalo told someone that they have cost Buffalo money. Did they get in the backhoe and drain the sewer ponds into Buffalo Creek? or did Joe the Town Manager? Did they dump the remains of the old implement building out at a closed dump? or did Joe the Town Manager? Did they dump all the old batteries and golf carts out at Doby Springs? or did Joe the Town Manager? Who cost who what?
The truth is the truth and the truth is the truth.
A corrected audit has been received that changes the amount of the underpayment to the elected treasurer and sect. Instead of owing $16K we actually only about 740 dollars apiece.
ReplyDeleteThis is nuts. Up one side and down the other. The main thing that this is telling EVERYONE is that the ordinance, which is a bunch of pooey, wasn't ever followed correctly. I believe that was the argument all along.
First thing first, if we owe them money, pay them.
Secondly get rid of that dumb ordiancn and make it read right. Statutory pay is statutory pay. You get what the ordinance states as a fixed amount for the entire term of office. That is it. no special monies or changes during the term. Don't like it? Don't run.
Kill the line about yearly averaging the increases from the previous year. Heck, if you deserve a merit raise you'll get one, not off the back of another worker. You should be ashamed to even take one that you didn't earn like anyone else.
Guess that covers what I wanted to say.
Short and sweet.... Good job to the auditor and to both in & on!
ReplyDeleteM.S