News
New
Gloucester delivers flat budget
Will citizens vote yes or no at May 3 Town meeting?
By Elizabeth Prata
New Gloucester-The New Gloucester Town Manager and
Budget Committee have been working hard to present
a budget to the Selectmen that adheres to the Selectmen's
directive: hold the line.
And Monday night they did.
The Selectmen annually set parameters for what they
see as the main philosophical outlines for the fiscal
year 2004-2005 budget. This year, as for the last
11 years, the main restriction is don't raise the
budget. This year they also set a restriction of no
more than a 5% total raise for employees which includes
cost of living increases, no new staff, (except for
public works), a cost of living increase to Interagencies,
and a few minor adjustments to hours of operation
for several departments.
Steve Libby is Selectmen Chair. He said that the process
includes giving the Manager the Selectmen's parameters,
and the Manager comes back with a draft budget. The
Selectmen vote on the draft budget and then they give
it to the Budget Committee. "The budget committee
is another set of eyes in the process," Libby
said. The Committee scrutinizes the budget, formulates
questions, and makes additional recommendations. The
Selectmen voted on the Budget Committee's recommendations
Monday night at their regular meeting.
A few of the minor changes were adding $6,349 to Administration,
mostly for computers and internet fees, upping General
Assistance by $6,000, and removing wages and benefits
from the Fire Chief line, since the new Fire Chief
is part-time. The Animal control line was also upped
by $1,000 since the Town was informed that the shelter
fees will be rising this summer. Libby noted that
the Capital Improvement project list was fully funded.
Libby thanked the manager and the Budget Committee
for their work.
The budget is available at Town Office in full and
in summary form. Town Meeting is May 3 at the Memorial
School.
