Watchdog Report: Trent Woods Board of Commissioners

AUGUST 12, 2013

Trent Woods Board of Commissioners Meeting

  

  

Every three years, the Town of Trent Woods is required to have an actuarial valuation done to determine the liabilities associated with the budget item "Other Post-employment Benefits (OPEB)" The Town has provided for Trent Woods employees.  Accordingly, the projected expense related to this was included in the FY 2-13-2014 budget.

  

While reviewing information related to that budget item, the Finance Officer discovered that the town is able to use an alternative measurement method rather than have an actuarial study performed by a consultant.  This is possible because the Town of Trent Woods has less than 100 active and retired participants eligible for OPEB.

  

This alternative measurement method can be performed by the Town of Trent Woods Finance Office, and as a result, the town will save approximately $1500 this year.

  

Abra Cullen, Finance Officer at Trent woods, said the billing will be sent out by the Craven County Finance Office next month.  Miss Cullen has been attending a local Government Financial School and has been the Finance Officer for Trent Woods for five months.

  

Eddella  Johnson

  

CCTA Watchdog for Town of Trent Woods

  

Trent Woods Commissioners Meeting June 6, 2013

CCTA Watchdog Report - Trent Woods Commissioners Meeting, June 6, 2013

Trent Woods has a new Finance Officer, Abra Cullen. She has just stepped into this office and had nothing to report at this meeting.

The excitement of the evening was that Trent Woods will not be raising taxes for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.

Craven County will now be collecting Trent Wood's town taxes for the first time. Craven County will be collecting taxes for all the municipalities in the County.

Mayor Chuck Tyson reported that there has been a 1.5% cost of living salary increase for Trent Woods employees.

Department Heads are making their budget requests to the finance officer now and a public budget hearing will be held on 17 June 13. The budget must be accepted by 1 July 13.

Respectfully Submitted,
Eddella Johnson
Trent Woods Watchdog
CCTA Watchdog Committee

CCTA Watchdog Report: Trent Wood Commissioners Meeting, February 7, 2013

The Board of Commissioners of Trent Woods met on February 7, 2013.

The mayor, Chuck Tyson presiding, there was an invocation and a pledge of allegiance.

Citizen Josh Taylor, brought his concern before the Board. He Stated very firmly that he did not approve of the procedures used in tax collecting. Later in the meeting, the need for a new tax collector for the finance department was discussed. The Town has received 15 applications for this position and they will be considered carefully.

There was an update on the status of sidewalk repairs in Trent Woods. We want to comment that side walk's are certainly a legitimate function of government from which all citizens benefit.

Likewise, there was discussion of a water main breakage in New Bern. Again, this is a legitimate function of government concern.

A concern in Trent Woods is the request from the State for the Town of Trent Woods to place $4,400 in escrow to be done $2,200 per year for 2 years. This has to do with the North Carolina Legislature's effort to repay the federal government for loans connected to the workman's and unemployment compensation programs. Heretofore, communities were permitted to pay workman's compensation claims as they occurred. now each community will to have to establish an escrow account with the State to ensure ability to pay. Apparently some communities have not lived up to their obligations (Trent Woods has) and all will have to suffer. Doesn't seem like a fair arrangement, but I don't know exactly what the State Legislature was dealing with.

Also of interest was the discussion about the North Carolina League of Municipalities concern about the merger of Duke Power and Progress Electric Company. The fear is that there will be increased fees for many communities and this again will be tied in some way with population. There will be more discussion of this at future meetings.

Respectfully submitted,
Eddella Johnson
CCTA Trent Woods Watchdog