no budget available in kutztown

The Borough of Kutztown continuously and deliberately avoids providing financial reports and records to the public. There is no Budget for 2006 and 2007 available at the Borough Hall. Tuesday January 15, 2007 I asked Director of Marketing Communications and Customer Relations\Assistant Secretary\Office Manager Gina Wiand to see the 2006 or 2007 Budget and she gave me a 2008 proposed Budget dated early December 2007. I then repeated my request for the 2006 or 2007 budget report and she stated they are not available. I told her the Borough Code states the Budget shall be made available to the public. She stated “I do what I am told” and then I asked her several additional questions and I received the same answer, “I do what I am told”.

The 2006 Budget should have been finalized by 12-31-06 and audited and published by (90 days) 3-30-07. It has not been published as of this writing. A couple of months ago Borough Manager\Treasurer Vettraino told me the Borough Council passed an Ordinance that there will be no Budget available at the Borough Hall and I stated that is a violation of the Borough Code and he stated he has to do what the Borough Council tells me to do.

It is a known fact that Hometown Utilicom loses $1 million a year and Borough Manager\Treasurer Vettraino and Information Technology Director Caruso, who heads HU, has never disagreed with this statement and has never published any type of financial report or audit on HU since its inception in 2002. The Borough has not had an internal audit for at least 12 years and does not employ an accountant or retain a CPA.