The Seneca Falls Town Board rejected a proposal Oct. 6 to terminate ProNexus Consulting’s services after members clashed over unfinished accounting work, mounting costs and whether the town had a replacement ready for budget season.
Councilwoman Wendy Crane pushed for an immediate split, while Councilman Jackson Puylara argued that ending the relationship without a confirmed transition plan could leave the town without needed financial support.
Crane said communications with the town’s auditing firm, Bonadio Group, showed that 2023 accounts had not been reconciled and 2024 financial records were not ready for audit.
She also questioned why ProNexus continued working at the town so frequently. Crane said an April discussion established an expectation that the firm would provide services two days a month beginning in May, along with two weeks at the beginning of the year.
Instead, she said, the town continued paying for daily involvement while important work remained incomplete.
“They’ve been milking us dry for the last three years,” Crane said.
Crane described a series of September and October communications concerning information needed for the audit. She argued that the town was paying for services without receiving completed work on an acceptable schedule.
Councilwoman Gabby Cosentino supported ending the arrangement. She said she had spoken with Fayette Town Supervisor Jeff Trout and was concerned about similar problems involving ProNexus there.
Cosentino also questioned the firm’s involvement in preparing the town’s budget.
Puylara said he was dissatisfied with ProNexus but opposed terminating its services before the town confirmed another provider and the cost of that arrangement.
He proposed allowing another month to secure a replacement, arguing that budget season was a particularly risky time to leave the town without financial assistance.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to just drop them fully with no backup plan right now,” Puylara said.
Crane countered that the town had options for temporary support. She said a Bonadio representative had offered to help while officials selected another provider, and that the town was also examining a firm used by Fayette.
Supervisor Frank Schmitter questioned whether changing firms would produce the savings members expected. He warned that other providers would also charge for their services and that an abrupt transition could set the town back.
Crane said the issue was whether the town received the work it paid for, rather than whether an alternative firm would provide services for free.
Termination proposal fails
The resolution to terminate all consulting and professional services provided by ProNexus failed.
The board did not approve a replacement firm during the discussion, leaving ProNexus in place while officials continued exploring alternatives.
The issue returned during public comment when resident and former Seneca Falls Mayor Brad Jones criticized the consultant’s expense and the town’s financial leadership.
Jones said records obtained through the Freedom of Information Law showed that payments to ProNexus had exceeded $200,000 for the year. He urged officials to hire a certified public accountant instead of continuing to rely on the consulting firm.
The spending total was presented as Jones’ account of the records.
Jones also challenged the argument that officials needed more time to arrange a change, saying he had raised concerns about the town’s reliance on ProNexus for more than a year.
Puylara questioned how quickly the town could obtain replacement assistance. Jones responded that the board had already had months to address the problem.
The meeting ended without a replacement contract or an approved termination, leaving officials to determine how to complete outstanding financial work while controlling the cost of accounting support.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
