Tebaldi on Selectmen

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Department Heads Look Ahead to Budget Struggles

$2 million deficit currently projected

By Demian David Tebaldi

December 4, 2007 — The Hopkinton Senior Center on Mayhew Street was the venue for the Quarterly Meeting of the Board of Selectmen Tuesday night. Over 40 people sat in attendance in the open hall of the Center as the evening’s agenda, narrow in scope, played out. First was the introduction by Town Manager Anthony Troiano (File photo) of Attorney Raymond Miyares of Miyares & Harrington, Hopkinton’s new Town Counsel, who was recently sworn in to the position. A recommendation was made to the Board by Attorney Miyares that a deviation from traditional Town practice be made with regard to the role played by Town Counsel. In the past, the heads of the various departments within the Town would make official written requests from the Board of Selectmen for legal services required by their respective departments, including an expectation of how many hours would be required to resolve an issue. Going forward into the new year, it was recommended by Attorney Miyares that the Town Manager act as a “gatekeeper” or interface between the departments and legal counsel, to create a more expeditious process for resolving legal issues. No action was taken on the recommendation, but the matter will be brought up at the next regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen, on the suggestion of Board Chair Muriel Kramer and Selectman Mary Pratt.

Mr. Troiano then gave a brief executive summary of the Town’s budget for fiscal year 2009. As of this writing, the Town of Hopkinton is facing a two million dollar deficit for the coming year, if it implements a much needed 5% budget increase. Without an override by the Board, this amounts to a tax increase of $264.00 for the average single family home owner. In the event of an override, this amount increases by $352.00 to a total of $616.00. With these figures in mind, the Board of Selectmen invited the heads of the various Town and School Departments to address a tender issue – what problems they, as heads of their respective departments, would face if their budgets were to remain level (i.e., a 0% increase from last fiscal year) going into 2008. Selectmen Brian Herr asked each of the department heads the same question, namely, whether there were any services performed by their respective departments that were not “core services” and that could perhaps be suspended until Town revenues rose to compensate.

Police Chief Thomas Irvin indicated that the Police Department is already operating on “bare bones,” and that there really is “no wiggle room” with regard to cutting services or personnel, so the Town’s failure to provide a budgetary increase in the coming year would be especially hard on his department. He admitted that some personnel, such as the School Resource Officer (a policeman stationed at the High School full-time) or the current part-time police dispatcher could be cut, but not without potential damage to the community.

Fire Chief Gary Daugherty (File photo) reported the same, saying that his department was “manpower driven” and provided services largely mandated by law, so, again, there would be little that could be logically (or legally) sacrificed.

Mr. J.T. Gaucher, Director of the Department of Public Works, insisted not only that a zero percent budgetary increase in the coming year would cause the Town’s infrastructure to suffer, but that his department required a personnel increase of two employees at approximately $75,000.00 (salary and benefits combined) each. An assistant crew foreman is necessary to oversee the performance of the three crews that the Town has operating concurrently on various projects, and an equipment operator is needed to supplement the Town’s roster. Without essential funding, Mr. Gaucher said, the Town’s roadways and sidewalks would not receive the regular upkeep they need, the mowing and maintenance of the Town’s cemeteries, parks and recreational fields would fall by the wayside, creating a situation where repairs more expensive than consistent care would be required to comply with the standards traditionally upheld by the Town.

Perhaps most profound, however, was the response of Dr. John Phelan, Superintendent of Schools, to the questions posed by the Board. With 80% of the Town’s school budget of $31 million dollars currently put toward payroll in support of an overall staff of 290 teachers and 123 administrators, and only 20% toward essential programs and other resources, a 0% increase in budget in the coming year would necessitate the firing of 25 to 30 staff members, a portion of the lost employees teachers. “The federal “No Child Left Behind” program and related unfunded mandates of the state and federal governments have placed financial burdens on the Town by requiring, among other things, the purchase of special software from the Department of Education and the dedication of up to a complete month’s worth of man-hours to the reporting of information to state and federal offices. While the adoption of special initiatives, such as an increase in special education enrolment, or participation in school choice programs, would potentially add revenue to the School Department’s coffers, this in itself creates a “Catch-22” for the department. “With a level budget, we face the reality of having to cut staff,” said Dr. Phelan, “and [with reduced staff] we wouldn’t be able to participate in [those initiatives].”

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