“While the service level in our community is robust and our capital facilities are well maintained, the city continues to confront the stagnant economy: reductions in staffing service and employee compensations are essential.”
The November retirement date permits Frank to wind up the fiscal year and to present the annual mid-year accounting, including an update on the next fiscal year.
“I think he wanted to see us though this,” Councilwoman Verna Rollinger said.
Frank will also make recommendations in his final mid-year report for a financial blueprint that will see the city through the next several years until the economy improves.
Further, he asked the council at Tuesday’s meeting to support a proposed initiative that would place more constraints on the state’s ability to take revenues from cities and counties thought to be curtailed by the vote of the people several years ago.
But state legislatures and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have found some loopholes, Frank said, that he wants to see plugged. The council unanimously approved his request.
Frank’s efforts to stop the state from siphoning off city funds is well known. He is also known to keep a close eye on expenditures within the city.
One man who worked closely with Frank over the years said he would listen to requests and carefully evaluate them.
“When I wanted to spend money, Ken would say, ‘Uh, I don’t know,’” and I’d say it’s really important,” said retired Police Chief Neil J. Purcell Jr. on Thursday. “Then a couple of days later, I would get a phone call and he’d said, ‘You wanted 12, would you settle for eight?’
“When it came time to make cuts in the budget, he would say ‘You have to get $100,000 out of your budget — you figure it out.’”
