Cheshire Draft Budget Up by 2 Percent
CHESHIRE, Mass. — A draft budget for fiscal 2017 presented Tuesday night reflects a 2 percent increase over this year's $5.3 million budget, which would leave Cheshire $13,000 under the levy limit.
Town Administrator Mark Webber said the Advisory Board has not yet finished reviewing the budget and next week will hold a joint meeting with the Selectmen. Department Heads will be present to defend their budgets.
"They have a second budget ... that they have made some changes to so I just think it is safer to continue on what was submitted and you may have thoughts," Webber told the board. "The budget is acceptable as it is here but there are certainly opportunities for reductions in some of the line items."
The Selectmen browsed through the budget and highlighted areas they want to discuss next week.
There was a flat 2.5 percent increase programmed in for many town employees. Some departments requested larger increases over this year.
Chairman Paul Astorino said the Selectmen should go through each increase line by line.
"I don't think it should be the same for everybody," he said. "I think we amongst ourselves can figure out if it is 3 percent, 2.5 percent, or 0."
Selectman Robert Ciskowski said it's hard to pin numbers or department increases without hearing the department's or employee's plea.
"It is a little difficult not sitting with the Advisory Board and the department heads to hear the rationale," he said. "I hate to be arbitrary."
His colleagues agreed and left many items alone until next week.
"I have more questions than I have answers," Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said.
Francesconi noted that she would like to back out the Conservation Commission's salary and load it into expenses to keep up with consultations, legal and advertisement expenses.
"It is getting too complicated and expensive," she said. "Nine hundred dollars won't even cover the advertisements we have to do ... and you get two consults and your budget is gone."
Astorino said he would be in favor of a $500 increase in the selectmen's salary.
"I think it should be raised to $3,000; we are making less than the dog officer," he said. "I have been here 14 years and it hasn't changed."
Francesconi agreed but wanted to see if there was still room in the levy limit after the joint meeting.
Ciskowski said he was comfortable with the current salary of $2,500.
• Webber said the town will receive a $2,100 refund from the state Department of Public Safety. The town was fined for missing an elevator inspection but because of its willingness to work with the state and lack of prior violations, the fee was knocked down to $700.
• The water superintendent picked up the new Water Department truck. Currently a radio and lettering is being installed.
• Cheshire Reservoir will be de-weeded May 13.
• The Selectmen voted to allow the town to count election votes electronically instead of by hand.
Tags: cheshire_budget, fiscal 2017,
