Mattapoisett FY17 Working Budget Reviewed

April 4 may have held weather surprises with falling snow and growling plows outside town hall, but inside everything was by the numbers. Town Administrator Michael Gagne was meeting with the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen to discuss and review the working fiscal year 2017 budget.

The budget’s bottom line stands at just slightly north of $24 million, a modest increase over FY16. Gagne said most departments were level-funded and that he anticipates getting the same state funds as last year, with municipal growth estimated at $150,000.

Gagne lauded the efforts of the Board of Health in securing an agreement with SEMASS that includes a clause allowing the town to receive a lower rate if another community secures a lower rate, like a “price guarantee,” he said. The present per-ton rate of $26 will more than double to $59 as of September 1, he noted.

Another trash-related increase expected to accrue to the town, $14,000, comes from several subdivisions receiving curbside trash collection based on covenant modifications written and approved by the Planning Board and Board of Health this year. The selectmen were in agreement that the subdivisions’ requests were acceptable.

Continuing on the theme of rubbish, Gagne said that for the first time in many years the town’s landfill receipts were ahead of the previous year.

The looming specter, “other post-employment benefits” known as OPEB, was then discussed.

Gagne said that he and Selectman Paul Silva had lobbied hard for OPEB funding during budget discussions with ORR School District committee, saying, “We fought to fund it, but it was not carried.” He said that the last time the school district was audited, the OPEB obligation was $13 million. Today it stands at $15 million.

He said that he approached the town’s investment advisor, Bartholomew & Associates, and discussed the possibility of establishing a trust for Mattapoisett’s portion of the ORR School District OPEB obligation.

“You can’t bury your head in the sand … you can’t do that in good conscience,” Gagne said. He also explained that he had reviewed the budget and recommended starting the new trust with $25,000. “I’ve worked the budget … it’s good financial planning.”

The town, on the other hand, has meanwhile been planning for its municipal OPEB expenses by allocating funds to a trust. The municipal obligation remaining to be funded is $6 million, down $4 million over the past six years, Gagne asserted. Due to savings from Medex 3, the town’s personnel health insurance plan, there is $60,000 in savings which, Gagne stated, will go into the OPEB fund.

Bartholomew & Associates also suggested setting up OPEB trusts for the Water and Sewer Enterprise funds.

Five thousand dollars will be earmarked for maintenance of town buildings, Gagne pointed out, and he also suggested setting aside a small reserve for fuel costs.

On a positive note, a small line item may have generous payback to the community as the Barnstable County Cooperative Extension program will assist in seeding the local waters with quahogs.

Gagne said he had had a good meeting with the group regarding restoration of shellfish beds and is organizing a partnership between volunteers from the town and the county.

“I think it’s going to be a great project,” he told the selectmen.

The cleanliness of the town’s sidewalks and pathways is not being overlooked either, with $1,645 tucked into the Natural Resources budget for direct mailings to residents about the bylaw for picking up dog ‘waste.’

The tree warden will receive a small uptick in funding due to the possibility of treatments needed to protect trees on town property from damaging caterpillar infestations in the coming months.

Other highlights from the working budget are: the police department $1,989,621 up $37,667; fire department $450,517 up $31,287; and ambulance service $365,012 up $15,672.

The school budgets are: local schools $6,888,488 up $197,762; ORR School District $5,223,589 up $284,869; and Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School $561,941 up $82,000.

Gagne reminded the audience that, with pending union and non-union wage negotiations, the budget was not finalized.

Gagne will meet with the Finance Committee, Capitol Planning Committee and the Community Preservation Committee on Wednesday, April 6 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room. Voters will get a chance to voice their decisions regarding the budget during the annual spring town meeting scheduled for Monday, May 9.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell

 

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