Date: Fri 30-Jan-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Public-Works-budget-selectmen

Full Text:

Selectmen Trim $800,000 From Public Works Budget

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The Board of Selectmen made significant cuts to the town budget Tuesday night,

extracting more than $800,000 from the Public Works Department's request.

That leaves the Public Works request at nearly $6 million, which is still an

increase of almost 6 percent. Director Fred Hurley had originally requested a

budget that showed an increase of 21 percent.

Most of the cuts came in the department's capital improvement fund, which

includes equipment such as trucks, snow plows, etc. Mr Hurley requested

$500,000 but was only given about $75,000.

The selectmen also cut an additional $200,000 from the department's proposed

$2-million capital road improvement fund. Cuts to road improvements are an

annual occurrence. However, they are usually made by the Legislative Council.

Despite the cuts, Mr Hurley said his department will simply have to bite the

bullet, understanding that this is a tough year.

"Everybody's hitting at the same time," he said. "Would we have liked the

staff? Sure, but people are only able to pay so much in taxes."

So far, the Board of Selectmen has cut nearly $1 million from department

requests, with the possibility of more trimming still to come.

"There was an awful lot of requests, and we're trying to be realistic, that's

all," explained First Selectmen Herb Rosenthal.

The selectmen were expected to hold budget deliberations Thursday night. Among

those departments still to be studied are the library (requesting an increase

of $230,000) and Parks & Recreation (requesting an extra $300,000).