Sprigman Hiring Doesn't Sit Well with Committee Dems
Committeewoman Denice DiCarlo said Sprigman was appointed by a vote along party lines; her colleague Sam Cianfarini said the acting CFO was the most qualified for the position.
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She may be personable, a good manager and well-liked by people in the West Deptford government, but acting township CFO Brenda Sprigman is still not a certified municipal finance officer (CMFO), says Committeewoman Denice DiCarlo—and that concerns her.
"Upset is probably an understatement of how I felt" leaving the special meeting of the West Deptford Committee Tuesday night, DiCarlo said. "I thought this was a position that we would go and hire the best-qualified candidate."
DiCarlo, a Democrat, claimed that Sprigman's appointment, which was approved by a 3-2 vote along party lines, was a political decision that favored the local GOP party treasurer.
"When you think about it in an accounting standard, we had two qualified candidates who were [CMFO-certified], who were not in the Republican Party," said DiCarlo, who is herself an accountant.
"You had one who is [Republican], and she gets the job," she said.
Even if Sprigman is able to earn her CMFO certificate on the first try in spring 2014, says DiCarlo, she failed to meet "even the minimum qualifications that we outlined" for the position.
Committeeman Sam Cianfarini and Mayor Ray Chintall told Patch that they believe Sprigman's private-sector experience gave her an edge over the other candidates the group considered, but DiCarlo said those very attributes specifically concerned her.
"My personal opinion is that her private experience is not a positive," DiCarlo said. "We need somebody to come in and fix the township's books and records," work she said the township is paying independent auditors and consultants to perform.
"There have been comments in recent meetings that [Sprigman] has completed all the bank reconciliations and she has gotten the general ledger up," DiCarlo said. "[Sprigman's] exact words were, 'I started to do the reconciliations, but it got too complex, and I handed it over to the consultants.'"
DiCarlo also said that Sprigman's lack of certification could be troublesome because she may not be legally able to sign off on certain documents of record. She also fears Sprigman may not be prepared to handle the rigors of a public audit without additional support from consultants, which would add expenses.
"If you've ever been audited, it's very time-consuming work," DiCarlo said. "You don't want to find out in January, when the books are closed, that you missed something."
DiCarlo said her choice, West Deptford resident Daniel Leh, has been a licensed CMFO since 1988 and is also a registered municipal accountant. She nominated Leh because he has completed an Edmunds (a manufacturer of local government software) conversion, something West Deptford is considering to modernize its bookkeeping system.
"That's a primary goal of the township," DiCarlo said.
DiCarlo also fears that Sprigman's pro-tem appointment will compromise the ability of the government to hire for its assistant treasurer position, which has been vacant since May 2012. According to the committee decision Tuesday, Sprigman's appointment will expire at the end of 2012.
"We don't know if [Sprigman] is going to be here Jan. 1," DiCarlo said. "I think it limits our pool of candidates [for the assistant treasurer].
"We need to put this to bed," she said. "We haven't had a CMFO in this position for 20 years."
'If she wasn't qualified, I wouldn't have voted for her'
Cianfarini disputed DiCarlo's claims that Sprigman was hired merely for her GOP allegiances.
"Unfortunately, things in West Deptford are very political at this point in time," said Cianfarini, "when it really should not be.
"Mrs. Sprigman was the most qualified candidate by far from a holistic financial background," he said. "If she wasn't, I wouldn't have voted for her, friend or not."
Cianfarini pointed out that Sprigman was the only respondant to the position to carry an MBA, and that she had "many, many years of diverse experience in big, big companies," including managing as many as 130 auditors at one point. He also downplayed the necessity of her immediately possessing a CMFO certificate.
"Fifty percent of the New Jersey CMFOs are maintaining a [general ledger] in an in appropriate way," Cianfarini said. "If you did that in the private sector for more than a few months, you're fired."
"She's the only respondant that had an MBA," he said. "To say that 'you don't have a miunicipal certification, you're not qualified for the job' is ludicrous."
Cianfarini is also confident that Sprigman will be able to earn her CMFO when she sits for the test in May 2014 as she plans to do. He further downplayed the notion that the acting CFO needed outside assistance to reconcile bank statements made her unsuitable for the job.
"I run a company; bank reconciliations are no big deal," Cianfarini said. "When you have a spaghetti mess, like the kind that was left by the previous administration, you use the best resource," he said; namely the paid consultants who have assisted in the transition.
"Do we have support for the position right now?" Cianfarini said. "Yes, because our former CFO gave his two weeks notice in December.
"I don't think it was that she couldn't do it like Mrs. DiCarlo portrays," he said.
Jessica Gregoris
4:31 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
here we go again another disappointed Dicarlo who in fact doesn't have her CPA license is questioning the capabilities of B Sprigman.
it sure sucks being the underdog when it comes to voting.20 years not a word was said when the past administration was ramming it up the residents of WD with their lies and stealing.
Dicarlo just remember your only along for the ride.What you say don't mean squat,that goes also for the other book end on the dais.
your raves and rants do not make you a very likeable person in this township,and this is coming from a democratic voter.
Jill McRary
7:46 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Jessica, according to the tax records you don't even vote in WD so who cares what you think. But we all know its Sam hiding behind his keyboard in his one man computer company. Who in their right mind would hire a CFO without the proper certification when there were two very qualified applicants. David Leh was the obvious choice with impeccable credentials and years of municipal experience. If you really cared about the town and not just your puppet show he would have been your hire.
Mark Loughery
3:33 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
As a proud lifelong conservative democrat...I ask this question. How can a township go twenty years without CMFO? and who was in charge for those 20 years?
Occupant
10:35 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
Jill, According to the Gloucester County tax records you don't own property or pay taxes in West Deptford. So who cares what you think.
ChuckWagon
2:13 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
If you hear the words "years of municipal experience" just run like heck in the opposite direction. Websters is considering adding that phrase to their definition for "thief."
Liberty is.....
10:35 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
Ms. DiCarlo, your objections are duly noted but since you have been overruled, let’s just put that aside and give Ms. Sprigman our full support for the good of the township.
P.S. I read the latest auditor’s report which essentially gives the township an “F”. I think Ms. Sprigman could use all the help she can get.
David Sileo
10:35 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
"......doesn't sit well with the democrats". It's too bad that all 3 of the excellent candidates couldn't have been hired into our township but only 1 emerged. Though some on the committee are disappointed I am sure that now this is finally done they will give Springman their full support and not block forwards movemrt and silly partisan "no votes" on budgetary items. Good luck to Brenda and the Committee.
David Sileo
10:35 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
-forward movement of course is what I meant.
ChuckWagon
2:13 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
David, most of us know what you meant. Unfortunately our "leaders" probably do not.
JD Ackley
10:35 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
I echo Mark L.'s comment- how did we go 20 years with out this position be properly filled and let a general ledger get so out of order? Shame on us for being asleep at the wheel while these things happened in our township.
I am thankful for the change in stewardship of our community if only for the fact that it has shed such a bright light on the happenings in the municipal government. I hope people keep a vigilant eye on what is going on, more than to rant on the internet that their "guy" didn't get the appointed position. "God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion." - TJ
I pray for our leaders and the decisions they have to make and the thankless jobs they fulfill.
Don Geisler
7:32 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
More corruption and cronyism from Sam Cianfarini and his band of cohorts. What's a spaghetti mess anyway?
P. Pierce
2:13 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
I agree there is a need to put politics aside and get township finances in better shape. However, DiCarlo is right to object to hiring someone who doesn't have the required state Finance Officer's certificate or meet the township's own hiring criteria. Only a fool would not see that her close ties to the West Deptford Republican was the deciding factor. This is not "good government".
Harry Ladner
2:13 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
It came down to a vote.. 3-2 Republicans win.. Get used to it Democrats you did it to us for years.. Karma sucks doesn't it?
miriam reichenbach
2:13 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
forget about the last 20 years. why is WD hiring someone who doesn't hold the proper credentials! the fact that ms. sprigman will be eligible to take the test in spring 2014 is NOT a qualification to hire her now! does anyone have proof positive that she will complete the necessary course work, or pass the exam, in the given time frame?
Wayne Klotz
2:13 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Ask yourselves this; How much is her classes going to cost us and why does she need consultants to do her job if she is qualified for this position? Also, I like to say to occupant. If you know what about who owes want or does or does not pay taxes you must be a committeeman , right Sam?!!
ChuckWagon
5:31 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
"My personal opinion is that her private experience is not a positive," DiCarlo said
Geez, ironic what a difference in opinion a few months can make, huh? Denise, I respect your work and dedication to WD but this has to be one of the most hypocritical comments WD Patch has ever quoted...and also left unchallenged. When I first read it I thought I was reading a Hansen for Committee 2012 poster.
S Sanchez
7:33 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Wayne less not forget who pays your salary.THE TAXPAYERS.so quit bellyaching and move on.it's getting close to spring,the birds are chirping the days are getting longer.
oh I forget last week you finally came out of your house saw your shadow and now we have six more weeks of bashing and name calling.Get a life Wayne better things to do.
redneckwillie3
7:33 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Now let's be fair Denise's lips are only moving when G White or S Seeney is talking.
Denise's comments are always hypocritical.For once I would like to see her say one thing or vote for something that she's not pushed or egged to what they want.
Dicarlo didn't win the election White and his cronies did,but the majority wins.
Matt Skoufalos
3:15 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013
OK, everybody got this out of their systems? Shutting down the comments on this one now. We're not moving to a productive area of discussion at this point.