Managing Director Doug Chin just wrapped up his presentation to the Budget Committee about the suspension of the city’s debt guidelines.

Chin said the formula — with rail debt in the numerator but rail revenues missing from the denominator — created a “skewed result.” Rail, like the sewer system, has its own funding source and constitutes special circumstances that justify special action.

Council Chair Ernie Martin is the first to question him about the process. Martin expressed his disappointment that the Council didn’t even get a courtesy notification when Budget Director Mike Hansen recommended suspending the guidelines in October.

He said the Carlisle administration has made a point of being transparent, but this episode shows “there’s different shades of transparency.” He called Chin’s explanation “semantics.”

He questioned Hansen’s statement that the administration respects the Council, and said there’s a credibility problem going forward.