Budget committee proposes spending plan reduced by 2.79 percent
WILTON – The town budget committee has prepared what they called a “pared down budget,” which was presented to about two dozen people on Wednesday at the annual public hearing.
The plan contains no raises for town employees, smaller contributions to capital reserve funds, and the postponement of several projects.
After making some minor adjustments, the budget totals $4,328,340, about a 2.79 percent reduction over 2009.
The savings town officials had hoped for were even greater.
“We were concerned about the economy and falling revenues,” Chairman Cary Hughes said. “We asked all of the department heads to come up with a 10 percent reduction. We didn’t make that.”
Several projects cannot be put off, however, and those are included in the budget.
Ice has damaged the roof the police station and needs to be repaired. Bids are being sought. About $18,000 is included for those repairs.
Enough money, about $93,000, has been collected in a capital reserve fund to begin the process of eliminating mold from parts of the town hall. How much will be used has not yet been determined, but $35,000 was estimated for the section behind the Court Room.
Repair or removal of the dam at the Old Reservoir is under directive from the state and $10,000 has been allocated for an engineering study. It is hoped that a logging operation in the area will cover the expense. Another $10,000 is to be set aside for future work, once a plan is determined.
The Committee agreed to cover part of the projected deficit at Goss Park, saying that the area is “an asset for the town.”
Hughes said Lyndeborough will also cover part of the deficit since it is a shared facility.
No money will be set aside for library renovations this year, but $10,000 was approved for repairs to the historical rooms. The area needs paint and ceiling repair.
The amount spent on capital projects this year totals $122,500, down from last year’s $209,300.
Renovations to the fire station are again on hold while an expansion plan is completed. There is currently about $613,000 in the building fund and $50,000 will be added to it.
Total revenue is projected to fall about 13 percent, which will probably cause the tax rate to go up in spite of the cuts being made.
The budget will be discussed and voted on at town meeting, Thursday, March 11.
Jessie Salisbury can be reached at 654-9704 or jessies@tellink.net.Story goes here
