City administrator Jim Storer said last week that McComb’s city board needs to address a lack of money for road work, saying in an interview that the shortage is one of several budget issues on which he wants more input from selectmen.
Storer also said that he was told by former city accounting firm Faust & Associates when he came on in March that the city would “not have enough money to pay payroll by the middle of June,” and that individual meetings with selectmen to explain what he had done to reduce expenditures and express concern over spending were not fruitful.
And he said more recent issues like a water main break near one of McComb’s fire stations and a perpetual water leak on Broadway have not been discussed with board members, either, adding that selectmen need to be aware of what efforts, such as grant applications, the city is making to try to address needs.
The comments, made after a special called meeting in which Storer’s employment status was on the agenda — canceled due to the absence of presiding officers — reflect an ongoing dispute over procedure in several matters at City Hall.
Storer has contented that selectmen need to take a more proactive role in understanding the city’s problems and proposing solutions, while several selectmen have complained that such a role is not available to them because of a failure by Storer to keep them informed.
Selectmen even voted 3-2 in a September executive session to remove Storer, though Storer said afterwards he’d voluntarily step down, and Mayor Zach Patterson later deemed the vote improperly called, refusing to recognize it or accept Storer’s resignation.
Storer has said he is available in informal sessions before board meetings as well as in his office or by telephone.
Selectmen have said they have been denied information, such as notice of job cuts earlier this year.
Storer said on Thursday the failure of the board to pass an expected bond issuance is the reason for dwindling road funds.
“The reason there’s only $4,000 in the asphalt budget is because the city’s budget is less this year than it was last year,” Storer said. “Just as the state of Mississippi is reducing their expenditures by two percent now and even more later … the City of McComb needs to be prepared to do the same thing.”
Selectmen have argued that recent city raises aren’t appropriate if spending needs to be cut, and said the bond proposal was overly expensive and would saddle the city with too much debt.
