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Controller explains audit-driven transfers; town attorney outlines changes to litigation expense authorization
Summary
Controller John Mastro Marino explained that the resolution on the administrative calendar adjusts revenue and expense accounts following the 2024 audit; town attorney said a code change raises the town attorney office's authorized expenditure without board motion from $15,000 to $25,000 for experts and litigation-related costs.
During the administrative‑calendar portion of the Nov. 18 Town of Hempstead Board meeting, Controller John Mastro Marino explained a resolution that implements adjustments resulting from the town’s 2024 audit by the CPA firm. He said the resolution revises various revenue and appropriation accounts to align the budget with audit findings and that detailed line items are listed in the resolution.
Several residents asked whether transfers included legal fees. Mastro Marino said the resolution lists the accounts and that the transfers reflect audit adjustments; "everything in there, you'll see it's listed, whether it's an adjustment of revenues or it's adjusting appropriations," he said (transcript). He noted that the original estimate of $56,000,000 of fund‑balance usage townwide was actually only $6,000,000 after the audit.
Town Attorney explained item number 27 covers litigation expenses (experts, transcripts, medical testimony) and that town code currently allows the town attorney's office to expend up to $15,000 without town board approval but the item would raise that to $25,000 to authorize hiring experts and incurring litigation‑related costs. The town attorney clarified the resolution "has nothing to do with any attorney's fees" in the sense of a specific lawsuit referenced by a member of the public, and later answered a resident's question that none of the funds were for that individual's lawsuit.
The board approved adjourning selected administrative items (45 and 48) to allow further review and then approved the administrative calendar (items 7–64) by motion and recorded roll‑call 'Aye' votes.
