October 9, 2007
Tonight in Bridgewater will feature a two-Article Special Town Meeting, set to begin at 6:30 pm in the gymnasium of the new B-R Regional High School.
Article 1 seeks to balance $1.495M with recognition of some one-time revenues and $693,730 in department budget changes. The Article breakdown is as submitted by the Bridgewater Selectmen. Bridgewater's Advisory Board plans on making a couple of line modification motions (last I knew from their meeting last week). To compare the orginal budgets to these two proposals, you can download a spreadsheet I created here.
Article 2 recognizes $293,000 in 'free cash' and applies this to the previously short-funded insurance account. This had previously been shorted by $400,000 - perhaps the difference is related to fewer employees or a better estimate of actual costs.
The meeting began just past 6:30 pm. Many people came ot the microphone to speak on the first Article.
Mike Berolini, Chair of the Bridgewater Advisory Board, recommended that several actions be taken to improve the finances of Bridgewater: (a) A permanent hiring freeze immediately implemented; (b) Board of Selectmen to create a written policy on use of one-time revenue; (c) significantly reduce the number of Special Town Meetings that are called throughout the year; (d) Board of Selectmen request that the State Dept of Revenue conduct a financial review of the Town - a free service that can be requested - and implement whatever improvements are noted; (e) for the Board of Selectmen to create an open process to build multi-year financial plans. Mike also stated that the Advisory Board recommended the Article by a 4-2 vote, and was not bringing forward any amendments as previously announced.
One of the Library Trustees spoke of the condition of the library. He stated that ten of the eighteen staff members were being laid off. The remaining eight will have their hours reduced from 35 hr/week to 20 hrs/week. For October 1st thru June 30th, the library will be open limited hours - about 15 hours each week.
Marilee Hunt suggested that the Town look to ways to improve its own financial health - quarterly tax bills (something I have also suggested in the past), tax amnesty program to collect old/overdue taxes, and a review of the current fee structure. This was not commented on further as the Moderator ruled these issues outside of the scope of the Warrant Article.
Paul Sullivan, Town Administrator, detailed the twenty-six positions (that Selectman Chris Flynn previously referred to) being eliminated as follows: ten in Library, two in Forestry, four at Highway, five at Council on Aging, one at Board of Health,, two at Fire, and two at Police.
Lorraine Carozza, from the Senior Center, commented that through the generosity of the fund-raising last week, the five projected layoffs at the Council on Aging are temporarily averted.
Fire Chief George Rogers explained that the two positions at the Fire Dept are two currently unfilled positions, and thus no one is being laid off from the Fire Dept.
At about 8pm, the question was called. A voice vote approved Article #1.
An amendment by the Selectmen modified the dollar amount in Article #2 to $283,058. A voice vote also approved this Article. The meeting was adjourned.
Thus, the FY2008 budget for the Town is now technically in balance and a tax rate can be set. However, the use of significant amounts of one-time cash creates a structural deficit as plans are made for FY2009 budgets.
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