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Selectmen take on override failure
Banner Daily Update Fri. Nov. 23
By Kevin Mullaney
Banner Correspondent
Selectmen met for a special workshop Tuesday to hear from town officials on the immediate impacts of Provincetown’s “budget emergency” in the wake of last week’s failed Proposition 21/2 override vote. The good news, if it can be called that, is that there will be no layoffs, at least not this fiscal year, and minimal decreases in service. The bad news is that there are no slush funds, no hidden money languishing around to bail out the town. Deliberations over next year’s budget promise to be difficult.
“We’re here to discuss where we’re going to go from here,” board chair Mary Jo Avellar said to open the discussion. “The override is quite scary to a lot of people.” Public anger and innuendo were mentioned by several selectmen and they did vote to hold a public forum at 6 p.m. on Monday, December 17. It was at the suggestion of selectman Michele Couture and the only agenda item will be public statements.
The focus of Tuesday’s meeting was where to find $69,000, the amount that Town Manager Sharon Lynn has determined will be needed to balance this year’s budget. Lynn has been working with department heads and Finance Director Alexandra Heilala and presented three possible scenarios to cover the shortfall.
Out of the $340,000 requested in the override vote, $210,000 concerned the sewer adjustment, which will not happen, at least not for this year. That leaves $130,000. Not filling the Building Inspector vacancy will save $50,000. $10,000 more can be saved shifting the extended restroom coverage to the Visitor Services Board. The balance, just under $70,000, is the focus of further cuts. (The separate $165,000 to fund retroactive police raises will be postponed until a Special Town Meeting next spring. There was no mention of holding another special election within 90 days.)
For more details from this meeting and options under consideration see the Nov. 29 Provincetown Banner.
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Nov 22nd, 2007