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Resident warns missing state financial filings, alleges budget shifts to water fund
Summary
A resident told trustees the village has not filed annual financial reports with the state controller since 2021 and presented figures he says show personnel costs shifted from the general fund into the water fund, calling for greater transparency.
A resident raised sustained concerns about the Village of Wappingers Falls' fiscal reporting during public comment at the Jan. 8 board meeting, saying the village has not filed its annual financial report with the New York State Comptroller since 2021 and alleging that payroll costs have been shifted into the water budget.
The speaker, identified in the meeting as Charlie (resident), cited a 2021 state controller review and a more recent controller report that flagged municipalities for failing to submit required financial data. He read aloud a sentence from the report: “Local governments are statutorily required to file an annual financial report with the office of the state controller following the close of the fiscal year.” Charlie said the village’s last filing was in 2021 and that the village’s Open Book New York entries have not been updated past 2021.
Charlie presented calculations comparing line items across recent budgets and told trustees that, based on his review, roughly $124,824 in salary expenses appear to have been moved from the general fund to the water fund. He said the village treasurer’s reported annual salary in 2024 was $83,656 while the general budget reflected $61,000 paid from the general fund, suggesting the balance was borne by water operations.
Mayor Huber and other trustees did not dispute the resident’s statements but acknowledged they would look into the reports and records requested by the resident. The transcript records back-and-forth clarifications during the discussion, including staff referencing previous audit findings and the need to examine written reports.
The resident urged trustees that “you gotta be watching this stuff” and argued that without timely filings the public cannot easily see where money is being spent. The board did not take formal action during the meeting on the specific filing or the resident’s calculations; Charlie said he has repeatedly requested records and urged the board to provide clearer documentation.
Ending: Trustees acknowledged the concern and said they would follow up; no formal vote or timeline for submission of the missing state filings was recorded in the minutes.
