Town of Peru

Another article from Peru. I particularly liked this exchange:

Deputy Supervisor Robert Duquette, sitting in for Town Supervisor Donald Covel at this week's regular meeting, updated the council on a series of bonds that have been paid and also reviewed what he believes is the proper process for paying bonds.

Bills from different departments, such as Highway or Water and Sewer, are placed into the general fund so they can be put onto a general ledger and then into accounts payable, Duquette explained.

After the bills are paid, the departments then replace the funds used from the general fund, he said.

As Duquette finished explaining the process, which he said he and supervisor's secretary Joanne Stafford learned while attending a recent accounting school, Councilman Peter Glushko asked for clarification from former secretary Nancy Long, who was in the audience for the meeting.

Glushko said he didn't feel comfortable with Duquette's explanation, calling the information "gobbledygook."

Duquette said the information was accurate, but Glushko countered by calling Duquette a liar and adding that Duquette had lied to the public and that his false statements were on public record.

Duquette said Glushko was "out of order" and asked Town Attorney Jacqueline Kelleher to explain to Glushko what out of order meant.

Kelleher replied by noting that she felt Glushko was right.

Classic. I like the give-'em-the facts style this reporter uses as you get a much better picture of the actors involved than the more common summary style. I tend to read these Peru articles as if they were the script to a Coen Brothers movie: Supervisor Covel is played by John Goodman; Steve Buscemi plays his minion, Mr. Duquette, etc. It's a shame these characters are all too real for the residents of Peru.