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Cuts not likely
on municipal side in FY11, but neither is new spending
By Mike Berger
Citizen Staff
Selectmen are
not anticipating layoffs or any other major program cuts in the
municipal budget for the upcoming fiscal year, yet they are also
not expecting much in the way of additional funds either.
That was the
message delivered Tuesday night to five of the town’s department
heads, who appeared before the board bearing nearly $175,000 in
new spending requests. Selectmen said the remaining 13
department heads submitted level-funded budgets for FY2011.
Town
Administrator Bill Friel said the dilemma for selectmen is that
there is only about $52,000 in projected new spending. Of the
five department heads seeking new funds, Fire Chief Charlie
Doody had the highest request at $79,878, followed by Veterans
Agent Tony Andreotti, who requested $33,310; Police Chief Ken
Berkowitz, who requested $30,483; Library Director Mark Lague,
who requested $28,360; and Recreation Director Jeff Kaylor, who
asked for $6,500 in additional money.
Berkowitz said
his increases were the result of contractual obligations and
repairs to motor vehicles. Doody cut his original spending
request by more than $150,000, coming up with new ideas on
overtime spending but still needing new money for diesel fuel.
Lague said
that in order to keep up with the rising use of the library, he
needs to increase a part-time position to full time and purchase
new library materials for state certification, and Andreotti
said he has seen a marked increase in his caseload, although the
state reimburses roughly 75 percent of the associated costs.
Kaylor asked for additional money for utilities, pool and
playground supplies, and printing costs.
In an overview
of the budget, Friel and Finance Director Jim Murgia said many
questions still remain on state aid and the town’s assessment
for Blue Hills Regional Vocational School. They projected a 5
percent cut in state aid, which amounts to $463,472, but
stressed that it could be steeper depending on legislative
action. There was good news in the form of a reduction in the
town’s obligation to the Mass. Water Resources Authority, but
bad news when it came to health care costs
and local receipts, which are projected to fall by
$180,000 from a year ago, caused by a reduction in building
permits and local excise tax collections.
In other news:
• Friel
announced a two-year agreement with the firefighters’ union that
calls for a 2.5 percent wage increase in 2010 and a 3 percent
increase in 2011. Friel said the union has formally passed the
agreement, which will come up for a resident vote at the April
town meeting. Friel said the agreement has new language that
calls for drug and alcohol testing, a regional central
dispatcher, and changes to the vacation policy.
• Selectman
John Connolly announced he will resurrect former plans to move
the current post office to a more convenient location in town
with more parking. Currently, Congressman Stephen Lynch is a
ranking House leader on a committee overseeing the postal
service.
• Selectmen
Chairman Sal Salvatori will attend a March 11 meeting between
representatives of Napleton Corp., owners of the Reservoir Pond
Dam, and abutters and residents living near the dam. Napleton is
under state order to make short- and long-term repairs to the
dam and has asked the state for more time in drawing up plans.
Residents have asked for the meeting to hear an update of the
plans and to discuss whether Napleton has any wish to either
donate or sell the dam to either the town or the pond
reservation. Selectmen said Tuesday night that neither the board
nor residents want to see a reduced water level, which residents
experienced last summer while awaiting Napleton’s actions.
• Friel
announced the town has a fair chance of obtaining a near
$500,000 federal Clean Water grant to help alleviate the cost of
the Greenlodge Street Sewer Project. Friel estimated the grant
could save the town 12 percent of the cost of the project.
March 4, 2010
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