[Update 1:20 p.m.] – Following recommendations made by the Board of Selectpersons Monday evening, the new preliminary budget proposal would include $6.25 million in expenditures. If that preliminary proposal was approved by the board and residents at town meeting, it would represent a $9,278 reduction in net expenditures as compared to the current fiscal year.
Specifically, the board proposed $250,000 for Capital Paving, up from last year’s $180,000 but down from the $350,000 recommended by the Road Committee and included in the initial expenditure sheet.
The board also proposed funding $500 in the donations line, for Tri-Town Ministerial, rather than the $24,300 in proposed expenditures. Three items from that list, $11,300 for Spruce Mountain Insurance, $2,000 for July 4 fireworks and $7,500 for Area Youth Sports insurance, as well as the $12,000 raised and appropriated for Summer Recreation, would appear as separate articles on the warrant. Voters could choose to support those items; if they did, the board would utilize the Tower Fund, as it did last year.
In total, the preliminarily proposed budget would include $6,258,654 in expenditures, representing a $126,000 increase. Revenues are also projected to increase to $1.77 million; that would result in $4.49 million in net expenditures. That would represent a decrease of $9,278 as compared to the current fiscal year.
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JAY – The Board of Selectpersons began its review of the 2018-19 budget Monday evening, looking at newly-reorganized cost centers and $6.39 million in potential expenditures.
The $6,394,000 in total expenses represents a starting point figure, prior to any reduction or other modification by either the board or the Budget Committee. The preliminary numbers include fully-funded reserve accounts, for example, and do not incorporate some of last year’s decisions, such as funding the summer recreation program and Spruce Mountain’s insurance out of the Tower Fund rather than the tax assessment. Last year’s budget included $6.13 million in expenditures, following a special town meeting that set the Sewer Department and Town Government lines at slightly reduced amounts and another meeting that reinstated curbside pickup at the cost of $120,000.
This year’s budget features some changes to cost centers such as the transfer station’s Solid Waste line, which has been added into the Public Works Department budget. The transfer station has been managed by Highway Foreman John Johnson since 2010, and public works employees are expected to assist at the transfer station, which will be going to a single, full-time employee in December following a retirement. New language in employee contracts, negotiated with the Teamster’s Union this past year, will allow for greater flexibility in moving personnel between public works and transfer station operations.
As a result, it appears that public works’ budget request is increasing by $320,000 to $1.5 million, when it in fact is decreasing once the impact of the newly-combined cost center is accounted for.
Selectperson Gary McGrane questioned combining the budgets, saying that he thought it could be confusing to the general public. Johnson said that the decision had been made by the board, and also better reflected the flexibility of town employees and material, such as fuel.
Similarly, custodial services and some utilities previously included in Buildings & Grounds and then Town Government have been split between the town office and the police department, reflecting the shared building on Main Street. Other items previously included in Buildings & Grounds, which has been removed, have been moved to Professional Services, such as animal control and paying Franklin County Animal Shelter to accept those animals.
Selectperson Judy Diaz questioned if the town office staff could be reduced from the 4.5 employees. Town officials said that a survey of some comparable towns had indicated that the 4.5 positions, which include the town manager, was either a low or similar number when compared against neighboring communities and adjusting for size.
Healthcare benefit costs in a number of departments is decreasing, due to the new plans available to employees following last year’s negotiations. Diaz suggested looking at the benefits of town office staff as well.
Per the suggestion of the Solid Waste Committee, curbside pickup funding currently appears in a separate article, at the cost of $123,000.
The boards are currently scheduled to vote on a budget in early February. The town meeting is currently scheduled for April 24.
Looks like this town budget is up over 4%. What are they thinking.
We may have similar numbers of workers in a few departments, but in general we are overstaffed. In addition, our pay and health insurance benefits are out of this world. Let’s compare health insurance benefits of surrounding towns.
thank you
Have we repaid the mill, and, if so, will our tax mil rate decrease to a sane level?
Why would we increase any amount? As last year we ( the taxpayer ) are looking for a 0 increase in all budgets. If there is an increase in non negotiable line items, the department heads need to ” find ” that same amount to “decrease” their request to balance their budget as we do at home.
We still owe Verso 1.3 million dollars this year.
If you want a say you better show up when the budget meetings are scheduled.
If Jay is applying for sudden and severe loss in evaluation, why are we increasing the budget? Should start spending within our means if and when the mill is downsized more or gone!
Thank you, Michael. I thought that I’d read somewhere that we had paid them off last year. One can live in hope. our mil rate is awful, isn’t it? I wish I had the answer.
I believe I have the answer.
Hold the line one more year on the towns budget. No increase at all. It’s really that simple.
Next year we will not have the 1.3 million dollar payment due to Verso, and a small increase may be warranted. However, at that time, without the 1.3 million dollars payment, our taxes should go down.
And finally, every meeting I have attended, employees have stated how they cannot decrease. I understand why they would be saying that. It’s one thing to have the numbers. It’s another to have the benefits that break the bank.
thank you
Mike. Many of us show up every meeting every year and vote down many items curbside pickup for instance and then the old wood from this town brings it back within 6 months. This town is a joke on how it is run. Regards and ready to move 5th generation, Don Macomber
Thank you for the feedback.