Building a Budget

By Avice Meehan

For the past month, Norfolk’s three selectmen have been meeting for two hours at time to hash out the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The special meetings—officially posted and open to the public—offer a window into the decisions large and small that shape the town’s spending priorities.

The meetings run by First Selectman Henry Tirrell follow the same model adopted by his predecessor, Matt Riiska. But there have been more of them and Tirrell, entering his first budget season, may listen more deeply to the lively opinions of his veteran colleagues, Republican Sandy Evans and Democrat Leo Colwell Jr. Their perspectives were offered with generosity and vehemence.

“I am trying to make sure we are all comfortable. There are a lot of unknowns and that leaves everything a bit up in the air in January and February,” said Tirrell. To the extent possible, it will all have to be nailed down ahead of a budget hearing in April and the annual town meeting in May. At this stage, the budget might be likened to a soft clay sculpture—firm but not in final form.

The current bottom line, presented to a pre-occupied Board of Finance on March 24, would be $4.3 million for general government spending in the next fiscal year—once state grants and reimbursements are accounted for. The total includes $270,000 for a new plow truck and $130,000 toward the price of a new pumper truck for the fire department. These two line items would generate a substantial increase in the town’s mill rate if not offset by funds from the capital reserve account or the town’s positive fund balance. Those decisions will be made in the coming weeks in consultation with the Board of Finance. The selectmen differed among themselves over whether one or both major new expenditures should be taken out of the budget—even before it went to the BOF. In the end, both stayed in, with Tirrell acknowledging the need  while also expressing discomfort.

“All they can do is say no. And maybe they won’t do that, and they will take it to a town hearing,” said Evans. Each line item in the draft budget was reviewed: how to manage the town’s need for a dog pound (contract with the Sand Road Animal Hospital in Canaan) or which roads are most in need to resurfacing. Top on the list for the new year are Laurel Way Extension and Old Colony Road, followed by replacement of the uneven sidewalks on Station Place near the National Iron Bank. Winchester Road might get a partial redo if state grants come through.

Under the union contract, employees in the Department of Public Works would receive a wage increase of four percent and, in the coming year, Tirrell proposed a three percent increase for the town’s full-time employees. Then, there is the people factor: Do Norfolk residents need more social services support? What’s the best way to support the town treasurer? Are Town Hall salaries equitable?

To date, Tirrell has found modest opportunities for savings. City Meadow maintenance is estimated at $14,000, down from the controversial $40,000 in the current budget. If a new plow truck is acquired this year, maintenance costs could drop to $85,000 from the current, record high of $140,000, and completion of major projects will allow spending on engineering fees to come down. Cost avoidance also plays a role: thanks to locked-in contracts, Norfolk has guaranteed pricing for fuel oil and diesel, as well as energy efficient lighting planned for Town Hall.

Sometimes, the smallest line items generated the most robust discussion. Take for example, a request for $3,500 for the Dial-A-Ride service operated by Geer Village. It represents a modest part of the total health and welfare budget of $100,493, a category that includes $13,052 for the Foothills Visiting Nurse, $16,324 to cover the services of paramedics and $28,940 to operate the town van. The allocation had been from this year’s budget because of complaints about responsiveness. Turns out that nine Norfolk residents used Dial-A-Ride for 86 trips, often to distant medical appointments. The money went back in. Ultimately, all the decisions will rest with the voters who attend town meeting. And that includes whether to spend $2,500 in the draft budget for activities related to the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence