Kutztonian 12-28-09

December 28, 2009
Gennaro A. Marino P.E.
409 W. Main St.
Kutztown, Pa 19530
610-683-7977
e-mail kmayor@ptd.net
Kutztown Borough Council
Mayor Green
Borough Officials
45 Railroad St.
Kutztown, Pa 19530
Your Attention Please,
Saturday I received a copy of the Fall\Winter Kutztonian News in the mail. It was nice to see the article about Charlie Company being greeted after 9 months in Iraq. I noticed none of you were there. When I was Mayor I attended many homecomings and farewells of our troops at the Kutztown Armory.
The only other important article in the publication was about your favorite subject, billing the residents. The Kutztonian states and I quote “The Borough of Kutztown is about to simplify your life by taking unified billing one step further!” Isn’t this exciting news, Keith Hill, Eric Ely and Frank Caruso announced this in 2002. And it was news when Jaymes Vettraino awarded a $225,000 contract to a computer firm (New World Systems), without a public bid, from his hometown in Michigan that could not produce the billing. And wasn’t it news in May of 2008 when the Borough awarded a contract to Professional Computer Systems from Iowa for $185,000 to simplify the billing.
Here we are 7 years and $410,000 later and maybe we will have combined billing. Keith Hill and Frank Caruso announced that Hometown Utilicom would do this in 2002. This is another failure of HU and the Administration to complete what they start. It was also announced that in order for the Borough to receive desperately needed revenue from Water and Sewer they will be billed monthly rather than quarterly.
Borough Manager\Treasurer Gabriel Khalife and Information Technology Director Frank Caruso, who combined are compensated about $250,000 a year for their wages and benefits, are in charge of this Borough Business Venture Hometown Utilicom which, I repeat, loses $1 million a year.
This along with high utility rates and wild spending is why the Borough according to the Budget spends $4,200 a year per capita and The City of Reading that spends $750 a year per capita is according to the Commonwealth a distressed city.
I think it is time for you to realize that this wild spending must stop because you can not continue to raise taxes and utility rates and borrow money. The Borough debt is $14 million at this time and the debt service is almost equal to the Police Dept. Budget. I would appreciate a response to this letter. Thank you.
Sincerely,

Gennaro A. Marino P.E.