Matt Tortorice Mayor of Margaret

You Cannot Refuse the Email, the Device and the Packet-Then Claim Nobody Communicated I have tried more approaches than I can count to resolve the disagreements within this Council and prevent our City government from descending into the spectacle the public has witnessed. I tried reasonable solutions and, at times, solutions that required more patience…

The FY2027 proposed budget is about protecting the progress Margaret has made and making responsible decisions about what comes next. 2026 was a year of catching up. The City faced unexpected expenses and needs that, in my view, should have been addressed through better planning. We also had accumulated reserves. Those reserves give us an…

Transparency, Special Meetings and Margaret’s Financial Position I want to give everyone an update on what has happened over the last 24 hours, but I also want to put it into the larger context of where Margaret stands financially and where I believe our attention needs to be as we prepare the next City budget.…

The City of Margaret currently has a vacancy in the position of City Clerk. Before anything else is said about what comes next, I want to say thank you to Tabitha for the time she spent serving our city and helping keep City Hall moving forward. She stepped into an important role during a period…

A six-year review of audited revenue, spending and utility operations An annual audit is different from a budget. A budget is the City’s financial plan for the coming year. It estimates how much revenue the City expects to receive and authorizes how much may be spent. An audit looks backward. It reports what was actually…

Since taking office, I have tried to keep the City Council informed through regular Mayor’s Updates, financial reports, project summaries and supporting documents. I am combining those updates into one public document because I believe residents should be able to see what information has been provided, when it was provided and how the City’s financial…

Over the past few weeks, I’ve talked with quite a lot of folks about the upcoming school millage, and I wanted to take a few minutes to explain it the way I understand it. My hope is that everyone – whether you support it or oppose it – can make an informed decision based on…

Understanding the True Cost of Municipal Government One of the questions I was asked recently was: “How much do City employees cost?” That is a fair question, but it is also one that has to be answered carefully. City employees are not just numbers in a budget. They are the people who answer calls, respond…

Over the last several months, there has been a great deal of discussion surrounding Margaret Fire & Rescue, its operations and the future of public safety in our community. Unfortunately, much of that discussion has focused on politics and personalities rather than the facts. The reality is that Margaret Fire & Rescue has made significant…