News

Selectmen shoot for zero budget increase
By Naomi Morrison

New Gloucester--The New Gloucester Board of Selectmen started the fiscal year 2005/2006 budget process and parameters were immediately put into place in an effort to keep a zero increase.

Selectmen Chair Steve Libby began the discussion by reminding the Board that the Palesky Tax Cap initiative may have failed, but the voters have voiced their concern about government spending. Being free of a tax cap does not mean the Board has permission to do business as usual, he said.
"People that voted against the cap signed the (new) petition as they left the polls," said Libby..."In my opinion, the tax cap was not defeated, it was delayed."

To start the town manager on the right foot, Libby passed out a list of criteria for department heads to follow during their budget process. The boldest item on the criteria was that he does not want an increase in the operating budget. If a department head cannot keep expenses at the same dollar amount as last year, then he or she must convince Town Manager Rosemary Kulow that the increase is needed. If Kulow agrees with the department head, then the selectmen have the option to request that the individual discuss the increase with them.

Selectman Kevin Sullivan showed immediate concerns on the lack of leeway department heads have for the increase in cost of materials. Libby responded by saying that they can increase certain line items but make up for it by decreasing other line items and leaving the bottom line unchanged from last year's budget. If they can't make up the difference, he said, then they need to convince Kulow of the reason why. This continued to be his answer to all of the 'what if' questions that would result in an increase to the budget.

"We should shoot for a target of a zero increase on the operating budget." he said.

Pay lines are another criteria that Libby listed. They are to increase according to cost of living with a two percent allowance for individuals who deserve a merit raise. In addition, no new staff positions are to open and there is to be no change with interagencies. Selectman Lenora Conger, however, requested to see evidence that the money is coming back to the town from these agencies.

The Selectmen also started picking at the capital improvement program (CIP) list. The department heads prioritized their items or facilities and submitted it to the selectmen who further scrutinized where the priorities should be focused. Selectman Stephanie Bryan again reminded the Board that in New Gloucester there was somewhere around a 150 voter difference on question one.

This is not the time to ask the voters for wants and should haves, said Libby, just the needs. In the last two years, the selectmen were fortunate to be able to fund the entire CIP list without increasing the budget, he said. This year is not the case and items have to be weeded out.

In other news, a special town meeting will be scheduled at the November 29th Board of Selectmen meeting. The transfer of development rights is one item that will be voted on at the special meeting. Items that may be added to the special meeting are the Fairgrounds soil and grass improvement project and the purchase of a roll-off container for the transfer station. The Board will decide whether or not to add these items at the next Selectmen meeting.