Spencer voters agree to fund state-set school budget
By Kim Ring TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFFSPENCER — After months of financial wrangling, the town now has a budget and the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District has one the town has agreed to fund in a vote Thursday night.
With no discussion at all, voters at the special town meeting quickly dispensed with the articles related to approving their share of the $23,451,588 school budget and retooling the town's spending plan for fiscal 2014.
Voters also approved a reduction in the town's operating budget, funding it at $8,222,334.
There were concerns about the use of unexpended funds from the treasury, also known as "free cash," to balance the budget, something the town does not usually do.
"That is something that is not done," Finance Committee Chairman Mary Braney said, adding that while the committee recommended passage of the budget, "We on the Finance Committee have concerns."
Town administrator Adam Gaudette said the practice of using recurring funds for recurring expenses is what has kept the town's bond rating in excellent standing, but after the financial issues with the school department leading to a state-set budget that was more than voters had approved, using the free cash and making transfers became necessary.
Voters also agreed to spend $1,054 for the Water Department after learning the electric company had been sending it to the wrong address last fiscal year.
An article seeking $1,800 in additional educational transportation costs was approved, as were articles accepting a drainage easement, extending the time allowed to obtain a dog license, increasing fines for fire lane violations and various highway department fines.
Voters also amended the zoning bylaws to include an area zoned for marijuana dispensaries. Without the change, the dispensaries could have been sited anywhere in town.
Contact Kim Ring at kring@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimmring
Vote Mitchell for selectman!
ReplyDeleteRemember the past to ensure a better future.
The nuclear option should NEVER be used.
If the people in Spencer had seen the numerous times Templeton used "free cash" to balance the budget, that poor woman would have heart failure. You wonder why we are in the hole we are in, that is one of the reasons why. Our town is almost on it's financial feet and once we are finally in good shape, there needs to be a plan to keep us from going into a hole again, and a plan to use our money wisely. I am hoping the Advisory Board will help with that. Bev.
DeleteHere's an idea Bev. how about we use the MISC. INCOME at "our" Light dept for a stabilization account. It is not part of the budget they have when they figure our rates and bill us without the 200-600 thousand figured in the big picture. It gets used for the things that they want to have to make things better for them. Rebates and earned income goes to an account called MISC. INCOME! Wonder why they are so hot to do the upgrades at the Fercol property? It's all about the money for their MISC. INCOME acct. One year it was over 670,000.00 and has never been under 250,000.00. Time to start questioning the budgets they need to run the Light and Water dept. and why they don't turn the money in to the town like they should,and instead just spend it. These facts are from the general manager at the last TMLWP commission meeting.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is the rate study took none of that information into the result of the study. When the cost of our power drops after the loans for the nuke plant are paid we were told a drastic reduction in rates willl happen. Or will our coowner "MWECC" have other plans for our little town? Stay tuned,check your budgets,ajustments soon to come from the light bills too.