To the editor:
I have decided that the letter by Richard Kelleher (Times, Thursday, Sept. 2) needs to be responded to, even though the administration generally does not respond to resident's letters to the editor.
The factual errors in his letter are too numerous to list, but suffice it to say that much of what Mr. Kelleher states is based on inaccurate hearsay from meetings he did not attend.
The Food Service account has been in a deficit position for a number of years. In the most recent financial report for the city, it stood at a negative $190,870 as reported by the city's independent auditor.
Gaining control of deficit spending and forcing departments to live within their means has been one of the biggest challenges the Kirk administration has taken on, and not everyone has been happy about it.
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue required the city to pay $43,000 to cover a portion of the Food Service deficit this past year, which came out of the city budget, and the School Committee made transfers to cover the remainder of the deficit.
In addition, the Food Service program failed to pay its meals taxes on time, resulting in penalties and interest being charged to the city. Federal reimbursement requests for the free and reduced lunch program have not been timely, resulting in cash flow issues further compounding the operation of the Food Service program.
There is no doubt that the Point of Sale program is important. But computers don't fix everything.
If any "mayoral foot was put down" as Mr. Kelleher puts its, it was to force control over operations and expenses that are aligned with revenues.
JIM DUGGAN
Chief Administrative Officer
City of Gloucester
