Wareham defibrillators vote sends shockwaves
By ANIKA CLARK
aclark@s-t.com
October 26, 2011 12:00 AM

WAREHAM — Voters opted not to borrow money for new defibrillators as fall Town Meeting kicked off Monday night.

"All I can do is present the facts," Wareham Police Chief Richard Stanley told The Standard-Times after the meeting. "I think that it's foolhardy the decision they've made."

Shortly before 7 p.m., 221 people were counted in Wareham High School, or about 1.4 percent of the 15,277 registered voters. The motion to borrow $84,000 for 40 defibrillators died, 122-99.

The Police Department's current defibrillators have been used for more than a decade, according to Stanley. And as of January, he said, the manufacturer, which has already stopped producing them, will no longer accept them for maintenance.

Police Officer Dean Decas read a testimonial from a local heart attack survivor, while Stanley described how quickly a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival drops without successful defibrillation.

But rather than deny the equipment's importance, many spoke of their concerns about Wareham's finances. This comes on the heels of a draft fiscal 2010 audit report flagging a six-figure discrepancy in the town's books, while Wareham also faces an unfinished fiscal 2011 audit and the reliance in this fiscal year's budget on a roughly $1.5 million health insurance premium holiday that will reduce the town's health care trust fund.

The bookkeeping variance led to the announced firing of town accountant Elizabeth Zaleski in April, who hit back and later settled with the town for $42,500 in a deal that included her resignation effective in July.

A recent letter to Town Administrator Mark Andrews from Powers & Sullivan Certified Public Accountants, which was available at Town Meeting, says the originally reported variance of $919,234 has been reduced to $739,234, "based upon identification of incorrectly recorded journal entries." The letter also notes the company's belief that this "represents an accounting variance as opposed to actual missing cash."

But meanwhile, "I think we really, really, really need to get our fiscal house in order before we go borrowing money, spending money," Margaret Ishihara said.

Selectman Stephen Holmes also voiced concerns.

"This isn't about defibrillators. It's about fiscal responsibility and management. ... We have zero fiscal responsibility and management," he said. With the money spent "in the last year to pay auditors, people who were fired, rehired, sitting home getting paid, (we) could have probably funded all of these items."

Bruce Sauvageau took a different tack.

"The money is not the issue. The issue is: Can we save people's lives?" said Sauvageau, who asked rhetorically if first responders should ask someone lying in the street if their heart problem can hold off until next Town Meeting. He and Stanley also warned of the town's potential liability if it continues to respond to life-and-death calls with outdated equipment.

Private firm hired as Wareham town accountant
By ANIKA CLARK
aclark@s-t.com
October 26, 2011 12:00 AM

WAREHAM — Selectmen voted 3-2 Tuesday night to hire a new town accountant.

Baystate Municipal Accounting Group Inc. is being hired for the period Oct. 28 through Dec. 31 for $33,250; that sum would pay for up to 600 hours of work by the firm and would not require the town to pay benefits or extra travel costs, officials said.

Selectmen Walter Cruz, Ellen Begley and J. Michael Schneider voted in favor of the hire; opposed were Cara Winslow and Stephen Holmes.

A town screening committee recommended Baystate after two application rounds produced small pools of candidates.

As for concerns about hiring a firm rather than an individual, John Foster, the town's treasurer-collector and chairman of the screening committee, said "There are no other options right now" as the town heads into tax season.

Foster also described Justin Cole, Baystate's head, as intelligent, enthusiastic and professional.

However, Winslow said she was concerned that the board was only considering one option.

"This is a really big decision and this community cannot afford to get this wrong," she said.

Hiring the company fills the position vacated by Elizabeth Zaleski, who left the post after a draft audit report for fiscal 2010 found a six-figure discrepancy between the accountant's general ledger and the treasurer's cash balance. Zaleski defended herself with a lawyer who contended the town hadn't followed the proper termination process. Ultimately, the town reached a settlement with Zaleski of $42,500.

Town Administrator Mark Andrews said Zaleski's annual salary was in the "high 60s" plus benefits.