By AMANDA PINTO
apinto@thestamfordtimes.com
STAMFORD — The Board of Finance unanimously voted Monday to withhold more than $600,000 in requested funds, pending further detail from city departments.
Shortly after the decision, Vice Chair Michael Pollard presented a checklist, which he said he'd like to see all departments complete before requesting funds from the board.
The list, currently reviewed by board members and Office of Property Management Director Peter Privitera, outlines information departments must provide the board — a clear review of financial data, showing how much was spent, and why.
The proposal, Pollard said, stems from a need to review written data — too often departments approach the board with oral requests and no documentation.
Earlier in the meeting, the board voted to hold $500,000 in additional overtime funds for the police department, and an $102,854 allocation to replenish the office of operations' one-quarter depleted snow account.
The police department often spends more than $400,000 per month on overtime, and 25 percent of the snow budget has been spent despite the lack of snowfall, officials said.
Neither department properly documented charges —an audit of the police department revealed discrepancies between the injured on duty list and what was actually approved — nearly 70 percent of injured on duty pay was unauthorized, Risk manager Ann Marie Mones said at a recent committee meeting.
In the Office of Operations vehicle maintenance department, employees clocked significant overtime hours — during one week seven people worked at least 40 hours of overtime in addition to the normal 37.5 hour work week — without significant documentation as to the duties that required overtime, according to a memorandum Privitera wrote Public Services Bureau Chief Alex Tergis.
"This is a runaway train," board member Joe Tarzia said. "We have some real financial changes to be made in the city between now and June, and not just in the police department, but across the city."
Police officials have said the overtime costs are due to a lack of manpower, and Tergis contends the snow account charges are due to emergency funds needed for this summer's blackout, Hurricane Ernesto, and an aging truck fleet.
The police department was audited, and the vehicle maintenance department is also scheduled for audit.
The board also recently voted to order audits for the city's volunteer fire departments, after a probe into the Glenbrook Fire Department revealed possible fraud and embezzlement.
Although the volunteer fire department is an independent not-for-profit not controlled by the city, it does receive city funding,
Board members have said Glenbrook was granted funding despite a lack of presented documentation.
Pollard said requiring the completion of the checklist, which has not been finalized, would help the board make more informed decisions, and located areas where spending may be trimmed.
"It would [be helpful if] they present data in a more concise way," Pollard said.