Clarksburg Hopes Oil Drops, State Aid Rises
CLARKSBURG - Town departments are getting their budgets ready but one line item won't be filled in for now - heating oil."I don't feel comfortable putting a number on it," Town Administrator Michael Canales told the Selectmen on Wednesday.
With crude oil topping $100 a barrel recently, the rising costs of heating fuel is becoming a major concern.
The elementary school runs through an estimated 10,000 gallons and Town Hall, 2,000, annually. The town typically gets oil bids in May.
Canales said he preferred to wait until they were closer to the town meeting before putting in a figure. There's always the outside chance it could go down he said, but "if it goes up, we will have make adjustments."
The town is also waiting for indications from the state on how much aid will be available.
Selectman Carl McKinney said even if state aid rose this year, fuel costs would likely eat up any increase. He noted that the new energy-efficient windows in Town Hall have helped to reduce the amount of heating oil used but the bill has remained the same because costs are up.
"It's frustrating because you expect to see your bills to go down," he said, adding that it would have been worse without the new windows.
"I think an awful lot of people will be cold," said Selectwoman Lily Kuzia. "A lot of people will be looking for assistance."
Canales said the town might consider alternative energy sources, like the wood furnace being used at the highway garage. Pellet stoves and so-called "clean coal" were another option raised.
If the new school plan goes forward, he and McKinney suggested that a dual heating system be included so the building wouldn't be locked into one type of fuel.
A lot of the budget was level-funded last year, noted Kuzia. Canales agreed, adding that that will likely be the case this year as well. "I don't think there will be a lot of surprises" in the budget, he said.
The Selectmen also received the mutual agreement that outlines how the fire and police departments of all 181 communities in Western Massachusetts could work together in an emergency. The plan has been two years in the making, said Canales.
The Selectmen were given authority to sign the agreement at town meeting.
Many of the towns in Northern Berkshire already have mutual aid agreements, mostly regarding their fire departments. The new agreement expands on that by including all emergency responders and defining a command structure.
"We made sure all those [prior] agreements will not be superseded but that this would supplement them," said Canales.
"What about Stamford?" asked McKinney. The Vermont town has mutual aid agreements with Northern Berkshire communities but isn't part of the Western Massachusetts Intergovernmental Emergency Mutual Aid Agreement.
"That's the question that won't go away," said Canales.
In other business:
- Canales reported that the tax bills were mailed out on Dec. 31.
- The state has approved the plans for the new police station on the ground floor of Town Hall. The town received a $40,000 matching grant for the renovation. The work is expected to go out to bid by the end of January.
