BRPC Raising Community Assessments 2.5 Percent
 The commission approved the new assessment on Thursday. |
The organization set the increased assessment on Thursday. The increase will add $2,254 to the organization's general fund — bringing the fund to $92,408.
"The general fund is the only discretionary funding source to respond to all non-grant or non-contract funded items," reads a report from Executive Director Nathaniel Karns.
"These funds are used primarily for clearinghouse review activities, municipal educational activities (including the popular 5th Thursday dinners and CPTC trainings), grant writing, project development and local technical assistance."
The cost per municipality ranges with Pittsfield being assessed $32,292 at the top end and New Ashford at the low end with $164. The assessments are based on population.
The organization serves the county's 32 municipalities in an array of ways. Not only does the commission use the assessments to help with planning and research for land use and developments but also handles a number of contracted services. It handles many federal and state grants and contracts on behalf of towns and organizations.
The contracted services, however, cannot yield a profit for the public agency so the its long-term fund balance is based on the general fund. Essentially, any extra money generated from the execution of a contract cannot help the organization's general operations.
A recent audit that includes long-term postemployment benefit liabilities showed a negative of $886,866 for the total fund balance. The organization is trying to turn those figures around by generating more revenue so any excess can be used toward long-term costs.
"We were able last year to add a modest amount ($13,737), not including the potential postemployment benefits, which was a step in slowly building our fund balance to a more acceptable level," Karns wrote.
"Given the financial situation for our general fund and relative stability in municipal budgets, we are recommending that we seek the full 2 1/2 [percent] assessment increase. It will not solve the general fund's problem but we need to take every step possible to return it to a positive situation."
The commission, consisting of representatives from each town, unanimously approved the increase. The planning commission can only raise up to 2.5 percent at a time and did so in six of the last eight years. It was only in 2010 and 2011 in which the assessment was not raised to the maximum.
BRPC Community Assessments 2015
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