Board to begin budget process
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By Susan Smallheer Herald Staff - Published: January 6, 2009
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Select Board will tackle the proposed $9.1 million town budget tonight, hearing directly from department heads about their budget requests.
Town Manager Robert Forguites said Monday the proposed budget reflects department heads' requests and he had made no other recommendations. The budget is up between 8 percent and 9 percent, he said.
"It seems like a lot of money," said Select Board Chairman Mark Blanchard, who declined further comment pending Tuesday's first budget session. The board got its copy of the budget just before Christmas.
"I thought it was best to let the department heads make their case," the manager said. "Personnel is the big driver."
The proposed budget is up $837,577 from the current budget of $8.3 million.
Forguites said the big increases came in the area of personnel, since two years' worth of increases were included in the budget because of delayed contract negotiations and settlement. Another big jump in the budget comes in the capital budget, where Public Works Director Harry Henderson has asked for $795,000 to rebuild and repave Summer Street.
Forguites said the Summer Street project would be contingent on the town receiving $175,000 in state funding toward the cost of the project, bringing the actual cost down to $620,000.
The town has fewer than 100 full-time employees, he said. Forguites said the only personnel increase in the budget was to have the town's longtime personnel director and zoning administrator, Linda Rousse, work part time on personnel issues.
Forguites said the Select Board will hear from department heads in the areas of administration, library, parks and recreation and if there's time, public works on Tuesday evening, with police, fire and ambulance on Thursday evenings. There will be two budget workshops being held next week, with a public hearing on Jan. 19, where the Select Board will finalize and adopt the budget that will go to town meeting. All budget sessions are at the town hall and start at 7 p.m.
Forguites said that if necessary, additional budget hearings will be scheduled.
The capital budget, which includes long-term projects or investment, has jumped to $1.2 million from $995,000.
Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston is seeking funding, including $10,000 for a part-time animal control officer, and $5,000 for a chief's fund to pay crime tipsters or confidential informants. Both programs were new last year. Johnston again is seeking town support for a police department dog, requesting $3,000 in expenses for a canine. The Select Board turned down Johnston's request for a department police dog last year.
The police department budget reflects a big increase in overtime, and new "police contract incentives" that calls for $45,500 in funding, compared to $700 in last year's budget.
Forguites said the big increases in different departments reflect negotiated settlements with the town's unionized employees.
The town manager said the fire department had requested a defibrillator upgrade at a cost of $16,000, and new paging devices, at a cost of $14,400.
The new police department on Clinton Street already needs roof repairs, according to the budget. The town bought an existing building and renovated it, moving in last winter. Repairs are estimated at $65,000, and Forguites said it wasn't decided whether the roof could be patched.
In addition to the major Summer Street project, the public works department has requested one new dump/plow truck, as well as two three-quarter-ton trucks.
The parks and recreation department wants $50,000 to replace the maintenance garage at Riverside Park.
Contact Susan Smallheer at susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com.
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