Politics & Government

Board of Health Cuts $70K of 'Bare Bones' Budget

BOH asked to cut a total of roughly $178,000 from health and human services department

A revised health and human services budget is on its way for review after the Board of Health (BOH) managed to shave $70,000 from its "already bare bones" funding, according to BOH President James McLoughlin.

The department needs to make about $108,000 more in decreases in order to meet the new roughly $178,000 budget, recommended by Township Administrator Yoshi Manale and Director of Finance Robert Renna. The department was previously asked to make an additional $238,000 in cuts, a number that Manale and Renna lowered as requested by Mayor Raymond McCarthy and council members. The majority of the $70,000 comes from two employee salaries, while smaller line item cuts make up the remainder of the amount.

Still, even with a lower bottom line, BOH members said at Thursday night's meeting in the mayor's conference room there's little fat left from which to cut.

"It seems that in prior years, the other (departments) in town basically had fat built in and they can afford to cut something," said McLoughlin. "We don't have the fat. Now we're scraping the bones."

McLoughlin said BOH, in an effort to defray costs in the past, replaced full-time department positions with part-time and enforced a salary ordinance. The department currently employees 28 people - 16 full-time and 12 part-time.

Further budget cuts will pose a threat to the department becoming accredited, another source of revenue, said Acting Health Director of Health and Human Services Karen Lore.

"This is a very functional department that's getting more and more efficient," said Lore. "We will get more and more funding as a result of what we're doing."

The BOH and township officials have in recent weeks, prompting talk of possible legal intervention. While the township is legally obligated to provide funding, the health and human services department, an autonomous sector, has complete authority over how that money is used.

Prior to the , Manale and Renna had requested the BOH to provide line item details of its budget for review, a demand that has drawn scrutiny from BOH members.

"They essentially wanted to carry out a line-item veto on our budget. That is not only improper, it is almost an illegal suggestion," said BOH member Joel Elkins. "If we're funded, great. If we're not funded in full, then we have a decision to make."

Elkins said legal recourse may be necessary in order for the department to carry out its duties mandated under state practice standards.

"We can do $70,000 like we said, and not much more," said Elkins. "There's just nowhere else to go without faulting ourselves on the practice standards."

The municipal budget will be reintroduced at the town council meeting Monday, April 4.

Shelter Funds Spared

A $100,000 recommended cut to the Bloomfield John A. Bukowski Animal Shelter, which sparked an at recent council meetings, has been restored, Councilwoman Peggy O'Boyle Dunigan said at Thursday night's meeting. Manale said Friday the money came from a reduction in the town's IT and police departments. It is unknown if the BOH will reallocate the $100,000 back to the shelter.


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