Budget Update

Being pre-occupied with other demands, I realize that I have neglected to update the community on recent budget discussions and actions undertaken by the Board of Selectmen. To that end, I have the following to report with respect to the proposed FY13 Budget. I have included in this report information previously provided in a report issued on 20 March 2012.

Personnel Increase in DPW: Motion (Selectman Ellison) to NOT support the proposed personnel/hours increase in the DPW;  2nd - Selectman Gimas

VOTE: 3 in Favor, 1 Opposed (Selectman Dowling), 1 Abstained (Selectman Blanchard) citing a lack of definitive and timely information with which to make a decision). Motion carries 3-1-1 to NOT support the requested increase of staffing/hours in the DPW.

Personnel Increase in the Assessor’s Office: Motion (Selectman Blanchard) to support the proposed increase in the Assessor’s Office;  2nd - Selectman Dowling

VOTE: 3 in Favor, 2 Opposed (Selectmen Gimas, Creamer), Motion 3-2 carries to support the requested increase in staffing/hours in the Assessor’s Office.

Tax Rate Relief: Motion (Selectman Blanchard) To Place and Support an Article to the Annual Town Meeting that will authorize the Board of Assessors to use the amount of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND AND 00/100 ($200,000) from free cash in determining the tax rate for fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2012; or take any action in relation thereto;  2nd Selectman Gimas

VOTE: 5 in favor, 0 Opposed, Motion carries 5 - 0 to support Tax Rate Relief. (Note: this article will have the impact of lowering the annual Tax Bill on a home assessed at $200,000 by FORTY FIVE DOLLARS AND EIGHTY SIX/100 ($45.86). SEE TAX RATE RELIEF CHART IN RIGHT SIDEBAR.

Tantasqua Regional School Budget: Motion (Selectman Blanchard) To Support the Tantasqua Regional School Budget as proposed;  2nd - Selectman Dowling,

Vote: 4-1 (Selectman Creamer voting NO due solely to non-union wage increases and his desire to remain consistent with respect to his position of not supporting non-union wage increases for general government employees). Motion carries 4-1 to support the Tantasqua Regional School Budget.

2% Non-Union Wage Increase for Town Employees: Motion: (Selectman Blanchard) To Support the proposed 2% Non-union wage increases for all non-union employees;  2nd - Selectman Dowling,

VOTE: 3 in favor, 2 opposed (Selectman Creamer, Selectman Gimas). Motion carries 3 – 2 to support the proposed wage increase

Personnel Increase in the Conservation Office: Motion (Selectman Blanchard) To NOT support the proposed staffing or hours increase in the Conservation Office; 2nd - Selectman Gimas),

VOTE: 4-0-1 (Selectman Dowling abstained citing lack of definitive information with which to vote for or against). Motion carries 4-0-1 to NOT support the proposed increase in staffing/hours.

Increased hours in the Building Department: Motion (Selectman Blanchard) To NOT support the proposed increase in hours for the Building Inspector;  2nd - Selectman Gimas,

VOTE: 4-0-1 (Selectman Dowling abstained citing lack of definitive information with which to vote for or against). Motion carries 4-0-1 to NOT support the proposed increase in hours

Burgess School Budget: Motion (Selectman Blanchard) To Support the Burgess School Budget as proposed;  2nd - Selectman Dowling,

VOTE: 4-1 (Selectman Creamer voting NO due solely to non-union wage increases and his desire to remain consistent with respect to his position of not supporting non-union wage increases for general government employees). Motion carries 4-1 to support the Burgess School Budget.

NOTE: The Board of Selectmen, though in disagreement on some items listed above, based their determinations upon what I would characterize as a fairly acute understanding of the day to day operations within Town government and the desire to have a more comprehensive level of data with which to make decisions, as opposed to a "laundry list" of items conveyed with little to no substantive supporting documentation. For the record, the Finance Committee (FinCom) has thus far approved all proposed requests for additional staffing and/or hours listed above. In addition, the FinCom has recently approved an increase in hours in the Planning Department that was not part of the Town Administrator's proposed budget, nor brought to the Board of Selectmen for review/consideration.