January 31, 2013 Energy Project Moves Forward
Last week, a Town Meeting approved the energy conservation project we have been working on for many months. This is a big step forward in our efforts to effectively manage our energy consumption and put in place some sensible and cost effective conservation measures. I want to thank everyone who participated in the process to move this project forward. The project was
reviewed and adjusted multiple times by our staff, citizens with expertise in the field, and board members. In the end, we put forth a sensible project that will save the town money with no risk to the taxpayer. We are now soliciting bids for the financing of the project. Once the financing is in place and the contracts approved, the project can begin. If all goes well, we can start work in March on many of the town facilities. Work on school facilities will take place primarily in the Summer to avoid disrupting students. Colchester Land Trust Conservation of energy has dominated our focus over the last few months, but there are other ways we can conserve and protect our resources. The Colchester Land Trust has continually worked to preserve open space in Colchester. This is a great organization which has really brought forward some positive initiatives and always ensured open space preservation is a priority in our community. Like any volunteer organization, they are dependent on people giving their time and efforts to support various initiatives. If you have an interest in preserving the character of Colchester, please consider joining this great organization. You can learn more about them at their website www.colchesterlandtrust.org. Please take a moment to see what you can do to help preserve Colchester. Budget Process Beginning We are now in the process of constructing and presenting the proposed budget for the next fiscal year. For the town budget, the process begins with department heads submitting their budget requests to
me. After I review the requests, I develop my proposed budget. Often times, I have to make choices about which initiatives or items stay in the budget proposal and which need to be removed. My budget proposal then goes to the Board of Finance who has the ultimate say on what budget is sent to the voters. The Board of Finance reviews both the town and school budgets over several meetings before making any decision. A key factor in what is ultimately presented is our anticipated revenue. Growth in the grand list may provide some additional revenue. There can also be a negative impact depending on what happens with the state budget. If cuts are made to school or municipal aid, it could have a significant impact on our budget. As we begin the budget process, elected officials would like to hear any feedback you may have. We are holding a budget forum on Wednesday, 2/6/13, at 7PM at the WJJMS Media Center. All citizens are invited and I hope everyone gets involved in the budget process. Sincerely,
Gregg Schuster First Selectman
Previous Selectman Notes can be viewed at
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