West Deptford Approves $20K Extension of Financial Consultants

CFO Brenda Sprigman will have some extra help for the remainder of 2013 as she continues to slog through the "spaghetti mess" that is the West Deptford books.

By a 3-2 party vote on Thursday, the township committee extended a $50,000 contract for professional financial consultants that had been set to expire this month. 

According to Committeeman Sam Cianfarini, who introduced the resolution to extend the contract, the township has already spent about $30,000 of the total amount it allocated for the services of PM Consultants.

The remainder of those dollars would provide an offsite cushion for CFO Brenda Sprigman as she works to wrap the municipal budget. 

Committeewoman Denice DiCarlo challenged the move, suggesting that Sprigman should be able to take over the contract immediately and save the remaining $20,000 for the municipality.

“[The consultants] were able to get done in $30,000 what we thought they would do in $50,000,” she said. “There’s $20,000 here, and we’ve got a six-figure salary for somebody who’s got a lot of experience.

"Let’s let $20,000 fall to the bottom line and let Brenda finish the work," she said.

Cianfarini countered that the extra finances were needed as the township transitions to the Edmunds municipal accounting software it recently purchased.

“Given the mess that Brenda was handed here in the finance department, we need to make sure that the transition to the software is done smoothly,” Cianfarini said.

But Committeewoman Donna Szymborski said she was “pretty sure” that the cost of the software should include whatever technical support is necessary for its implementation.

"If I’m not mistaken, ,” she said.

“I don’t think we need to spend another $20,000,” Szymborski said. “I’m sure Brenda can handle everything else that needed to be done.

That math didn't add up to Mayor Ray Chintall. 

“The previous treasurer and assistant treasurer cost this town approximately $200,000,” Chintall said. Even with Sprigman's $100,000 salary and the $50,000 cost of the consultants, “we will still be saving $50,000.”

After the meeting, Sprigman said that the consultants were hired not only to help with the Edmunds implementation, but also to prepare the municipal budget, which will be introduced June 20.

“Could I [complete the work without their help]?” Sprigman said. “Yes. Should I? Not necessarily.”

“I think that we have to be careful as a committee when we target our employees, like just occurred in this vote,” Cianfarini said after the resolution passed.

“We’ve got Brenda working hard, and I think for her to be a target is unfair.”