RENSSELAERVILLE — The town now has a new plan for spending. 

In a vote split along party lines, the Democrats, who outnumber the Republicans 3-2 on the town board, adopted a new procurement policy earlier this month that follows state guidelines and allows officials to spend up to $1,000 on goods and services without the town board’s or supervisor’s approval. 

Under the previous policy, officials were required to obtain quotes from three vendors on all purchases of over $200.  The supervisor or his deputy then approved the purchase.  That policy was adopted last year by the Republicans, who then held a majority on the board. 

Under the new policy, officials are required to obtain two bids for goods, equipment, or materials estimated between $1,000 and $3,000.  Three quotes are needed for purchases between $3,000 and $10,000. 

Earlier this month, at a public hearing, several residents spoke in favor of the new guidelines for spending.

“I kind of like this new law,” said Sal Santo, a longtime Rensselaerville resident and a local developer.  “It kind of brings things back to the way it was for a number of years.  It gives our elected officials and their employees a lot of latitude.  We do live in a rural environment.  A lot of times they need to be able to get equipment, parts, supplies quickly.”

John Whitbeck, the town’s refuse and recycling coordinator, did not attend the meeting, but a letter he had written was read by Jeff Pine, a town assessor. 

“The current policy for procurement does not work for the refuse and recycling department,” said Whitbeck’s letter.  “This plan makes it impossible to maintain a 20-year-old Mack truck.  You do not know what will fail next.”

The truck hauls over a million tons of refuse and recyclables, Whitbeck wrote, and “needs to be maintained at all costs.”

Resident K.B. Cooke, who has worked on town building projects, said, “I think the thousand dollars is a good deal because you can’t buy anything for $200 anymore; $200 is ridiculously low.”  Cooke advocated for the town to bid on more products than it currently does and to use a purchase order system. 

The town’s Republican supervisor, Jost Nickelsberg, voted against the new policy.  He said that many people in the town are on fixed incomes and had difficult choices to make over the winter — whether to buy food, medicine, or heat for their homes.  He had frequently been at odds with the town’s superintendent of highways, G. Jon Chase, over spending throughout last year.  Nickelsberg said he has made calls to other vendors on products, such as oil, and found lower prices. 

Since January, a resident has been submitting Freedom Of Information Law requests to the town, trying to learn the costs for road projects.  Since making her requests, Erika Wernhammer has received only daily reports, which document the hours worked by town employees and equipment used.

Joseph Catalano, the town’s attorney, said earlier this month, that, when submitting a FOIL request, no new documents are to be made. 

Wernhammer said earlier this month, “In my short time of experience here with the town, I think that this procurement policy is too loose.  I think that there is definite reason for more controls, and it’s proven by the receipts,” she said.  “You’re not reviewing the validity or the comprehensiveness of the voucher itself, nor the receipts.”