FinCom starts work on town budget Monday
BY MARY LANCASTER
The Finance Committee will take its first official crack at the FY08 town budget next Monday with its standard mission to trim as much as feasible without sacrificing essential services or expenditures.

Although the selectmen last week adopted a proposed budget of just over $72 million, that amount is expected to diminish significantly, particularly the $2.5 million in supplemental funding requests that require an operating override, according to Finance Director Connie Voges.

A revised overview of the FY08 general fund presented to the selectmen on Dec. 27 by Town Administrator Libby Gibson put projected revenues at $70,336,800 million and expenses at $70,275.594, with a $2,522,450 million recommended supplemental total which combines town and school requests.

While some departments are being recommended

to receive all the requested supplemental funding, others have a lower recommendation, and in two situations — the Energy Study Committee and Human Services — the recommendation is for no funding at all. It has been proposed that the $356,800 sought for the Energy Study Committee to continue exploring an island electric aggregate be put to Town Meeting voters for a decision. The Human Services requests were for $66,200 in additional grant money and $35,000 for an updated community needs survey.

The largest supplemental amount recommended under operating requests is $280,000 to the Department of Public Works in the categories of road improvements and professional services; the DPW had asked for $800,000. The highest recommended amounts under the category of personnel include $125,000 for the fire department and

$78,000 to fund a new town position — an information systems technician. The second highest total under operating costs is for town legal and professional services at $211,775.

Other relatively significant amounts recommended are $73,000 for a heating and air conditioning system and painting at the Atheneum, $70,000 for equipment and upgrades at Our Island Home, $68,000 for an administrative assistant in the finance department and $57,000 for assorted police department expenses.

At this point, revenue for the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund is projected at $8.2 million, compared to $8.6 million in anticipated expenses. The numbers do not include capital costs such as construction of a second lined landfill cell or costs to resolve legal issues with landfill operator Waste Options. Revenue for the Sewer Enterprise fund is projected at $2.5 million compared to $3.5 million in expenses.

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