they continue to be the same...
October 13, 2004
Bridgewater
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Joseph Gillis Jr.
You can do something!
The town of Bridgewater struggled with its town budget in the spring of 2004. There was talk about eliminating stipends for those few (and why that select group?) elected town officials, eliminating health insurance for elected officials, changing the municipal-paid percentage of health insurance costs (90% currently), methods for attracting business into the community, and making certain town departments self-sustaining. Since the spring, has there been any action on any of these issues?
The B-R School System cried poverty, and said an over-ride was the only possible solution. The over-ride vote was soundly defeated by more than two-to-one. [Note, for all of the talk in the press about the failed vote forcing a reduction of $1.4M in Raynham's appropriation - recheck your math. Since Bridgewater voted down $1.776M for B-R, the appropriate corresponding share - remember 65/35 - for Raynham would be about $950k.] There was no Plan B. How many over-rides pass in the Commonwealth? Not too many.
Here we are, months into a new year - well past the one-quarter mark - and there is very little activity about new solutions. I have pushed to have a study done by the School Committee into new revenue sources and options for reduced expenses. At the last School Committee Meeting, my suggestion was formally accepted for the Budget Sub-Committee to begin this work. I have tried to get a meeting called to begin this process, but with no success. Do you realize that although I was put on the Budget Sub-Comm, to much fanfare, this group has not yet met. Where is the budget oversight? Who is watching the income and expenses?
So, and open-ended question to the rest of the leaders -- what is the plan? The Bridgewater & Raynham Selectmen have convened Education Study Committees - and that is finally a start. Is your only fiscal idea to seek another over-ride? The voters of Bridgewater spoke loud and clear, and the comments at the recent Town Meeting echoed those concerns - where is the accountability and planning?
