WEST NEWBURY — Facing the same economic pinch that towns are feeling statewide, selectmen last week began to explore how best to deal with the annual budget process.
Finance Director Tracy Blais said in a best-case scenario the town will realize just $280,000 in new money in the upcoming fiscal year. Of that amount, upwards of $80,000 is already committed to payments for insurance and Essex County Retirement.
In addition, an early draft of the Pentucket Regional School District budget has targeted a minimum increase of $600,000 in contributions from the three district towns: Groveland, Merrimac and West Newbury. The schools are facing a possible $2.5 million structural deficit, making a tax override likely if services and programming are to remain intact.
Last month, selectmen held an earlier-than-typical meeting with the Pentucket superintendent, School Committee representatives from West Newbury and Finance Board to ensure communication on the budget process was solid. Selectman Dick Cushing stressed on Wednesday that West Newbury town leaders are committed to finding solutions that are good for both the schools and the town.
On the town side, Cushing asked Blais to revisits reductions made last spring in areas such as the Roads Improvement and Fire Department Stipends and Drills accounts, to see if it might be possible to "get back up to speed on what items were cut out."
He observed that as a result of the December ice storm the town became aware of areas at Page Elementary School in need of repair. The school district should bear those costs, Cushing said, freeing up money the town can then apply toward its annual Pentucket town contribution.
While waiting on final local and school aid numbers from the state, Selectmen Chairman Albert Knowles Jr. suggested as a first step, Blais should put together a budget draft that level funds services and includes a 2 percent wage increase for town employees.
His colleagues agreed to have a draft budget in place by Jan. 28, although Selectman Glenn Kemper noted that "when you put the 2 percent wages in now, it is harder to take them out."
Kemper said the board should be proactive in considering a range of ways to handle the anticipated economic shortcomings.
"Do we need to lay off?" he wondered. "Do we need to ask our department heads to consolidate jobs? What do we do?"
The board should continue exploring possible revenue increases from selling off select parcels of town land, Kemper said.
He also suggested setting up a task force to investigate privatizing some town functions in the future, though he declined to identify which specific functions might be candidates for the potential outsourcing.
"It would be irresponsible and premature to name any specific services. I think I owe it to town employees not to shoot from the hip when talking about their livelihoods," he said.
Blais agreed that privatization and regionalization were two options that should remain on the table for future consideration.
Town department heads were also scrambling last week to create a list of infrastructure projects that might be eligible for Federal Economic Stimulus funds under the Obama administration, Blais reported. Town officials were notified by Lt. Gov. Tim Murray that they had until Jan. 8 at 2 p.m. to submit a list of "ready to go" projects or risk losing the federal funds.
"In order to be considered, projects must be "shovel ready" within 180 days and must be able to be completed within two years," Murray wrote in his e-mail. The note identifies municipal facilities as including "public safety, wastewater, water, solid waste, recreational, city and town buildings, senior/community centers, some garages, public library and cultural facilities."
Blais said she received the notice from Murray's office on Tuesday. The Board of Water Commissioners and Department of Public Works were among those compiling project lists, the finance director said.
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