Town hits cops to pinch budget
Toolbox
By Susan Smallheer Herald Staff - Published: January 14, 2009
SPRINGFIELD — The proposed Springfield $1.7 million police department budget took the brunt of the first round of budget cuts Monday night, as the Springfield Select Board started trimming the $9.1 million budget, which has a 9 percent increase.
The board, armed with lists of recommended cuts from Police Chief Douglas Johnston and Select Board member John Swanson, eliminated $10,000 for a proposed animal officer, but left in $3,000 for a new police dog.
The board agreed to increase the police budget by $7,000, adding enough money so Johnston could hire a third sergeant for the department, rather than a patrolman. That decision came after the board agreed not to approve the position as a drug detective, a position that had been put in the current year's budget but never filled.
Swanson had wanted the drug detective, saying the town needed to send a strong message to drug dealers in town that they weren't welcome.
Swanson, a teacher, said if the town had hopes of economic expansion, it had to address the drug problem in town.
The board debated the best approach to attacking the drug problem, and the board finally agreed that a police dog, which the town is expected to get for free from the Bennington Police Department, coupled with an existing officer, could actually generate some revenue for the town in the area of drug forfeitures.
The police dog has been a perennial request from the police chief, who said an individual had already pledged $3,000 toward the dog's maintenance and training.
The board asked Johnston which he would prefer — another patrol officer or a sergeant, who would help supervise patrol officers — and what would be the best approach to reducing overtime costs.
Johnston said he thought the additional sergeant could cut overtime because a sergeant can go out on the road and do patrol duties.
The board also agreed to use a uniform $3 a gallon as an estimate in all department's budgets for fuel oil or gasoline. This budget, the town signed a pre-buy contract for the 250,000 gallons of fuel oil it uses in a year for more than $4 a gallon. The current price is now about $2.50 a gallon for fuel oil.
The board, which signed off on the $4 a gallon contract back in July, said budgeting for oil supplies was extremely difficult, but they thought $3 a gallon wasn't an unreasonable expectation. Gasoline costs about $1.78 a gallon in Springfield.
The board didn't have much luck trimming the proposed $1 million fire department and emergency service budget.
"We are adding more than we take away," said Swanson, "How about 50 bucks?" he asked Fire Chief Russell Thompson, whose budget showed less increase than the police department. "I'm looking for anything," said Swanson.
Swanson, along with Select Board member Kristi Morris raised the most questions about the budget.
Rather than include $300 in the fire department budget for painting hydrants, the town agreed to launch an "Adopt a hydrant" program, which would have the town supply paint for townspeople who paint the hydrants near their property.
The board didn't made a decision on whether to increase the pay for call firefighters, something near and dear to the fire chief's heart.
Swanson urged Thompson to take another look at his budget "and squeeze a stone" in order to find areas to cut.
The board is tackling the biggest portion of the town budget Wednesday evening — the public works department's proposed budget of $1.9 million.
Contact Susan Smallheer at susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com.
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