Springfield town budget up 1.5 percent

The proposed 2017-18 town budget is $11.18 million, which shows a $166,085 increase over last year and reflects a 1.5 percent spending increase.

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Published December 20, 2016 in the Rutland Herald Springfield town budget up 1.5 percent By SUSAN SMALLHEER SPRINGFIELD — The proposed 2017-18 town budget is $11.18 million, which shows a $166,085 increase over last year and reflects a 1.5 percent spending increase. But due to anticipated declining revenues, taxes are expected to rise 2.4 percent to raise the $9.22 million needed to support town government, said Town Manager Tom Yennerell. Budget workshops began last week with the town’s budget advisory committee, and will resume in the new year. Town officials plan on asking voters, in separate articles, whether they want to provide more money for paving roads. Voters last year approved an additional $400,000 for paving. Voters will also be asked whether they would support adding what is described as a community development/town code enforcement officer to work on the various anti-blight projects and ordinances the town has adopted in the past two years. The exact amounts for both requests are still being worked out. “I think the paving number will be $500,000, in addition to $300,000 already in the budget,” Yennerell said Monday. And, he said, he was already rethinking the proposal to add staff for dealing with the blight problem. “I think we need a person to take a look at troubled properties and figure out what we can do with them, even if they are privately owned. So I’m re-thinking this, and thinking of hiring a consultant, as opposed to an employee,” he said. “It might give us a lot more flexibility in the long run and at less cost,” he said. Yennerell said that there were decreases in the proposed budget, including on health insurance, debt service, heating fuel and electricity, due to the town’s new contract with a North Springfield solar developer. On the issue of revenue, Yennerell said income from the town’s transfer station and the sale of recyclables is down, as are ambulance fees. “Prices on recycled goods are very depressed. Textiles are the worst and we are currently seeking a vendor to take textiles,” he said. The town of Chester, which now uses the Springfield Recycling Center, will increase its contribution by $5,000, he said. As for ambulance fees, Yenerell said that Medicare and Medicaid now have what he called “specific protocols” that control ambulance fees, which has resulted in a decrease in revenue from last year. He said the town added new software to help with that issue. Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston has requested a new full-time dispatcher, which would replace a part-time position. The additional person would bring the number of full-time dispatchers to five, he said. Also included in the budget is a 35-cent per hour increase for all 25 non-bargaining unit employees, Yenerell said. Most town departments are unionized, and are in contract negotiations. The non-bargaining unit employees include most of the town hall staff and department heads and managers. The town has about 100 employees, he said. Yennerell said he was disappointed that the town’s workmen’s compensation insurance had gone up $20,000 to $277,000. He said the town had worked hard to get it down, only to see it go up anyway. http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20161220/NEWS02/161229960