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Yesterday was a good day. Budget season is tough on everybody. Department heads analyzing services, what has been done, what remains to be done, how to make improvements, and how to get it done at minimal financial impact to taxpayers. First Selectman and CFO reviewing department budgets with an eye on services to all residents, as well as the need to fulfill state and federal mandates, while running town government as efficiently and effectively as possible, also at minimal financial impact to taxpayers. The Board of Selectmen reviewing the budget
to ensure services are provided, town government is functioning as desired, and mandates are being met, again watching the financial impact. The Board of Finance providing department-by-department line item-by-line item evaluation of the Town’s budget, reviewing the Board of Education’s budget, examining the Town’s current financial state, forecasting revenues, and analyzing the Town’s ability to pay, again with financial impact to taxpayers always in the forefront of any discussion. And you, working to pay your bills and wondering what the tax impact is going to be this year.
So, why was yesterday a good day? Department heads, who regularly work together, came together to discuss the Town’s capital needs and to prioritize our recommendations to the Board of Selectmen for their discussion/modifications/approval to forward to the Board of Finance. To work with this group of highly dedicated and knowledgeable individuals in looking at Town needs in total versus defending their own particular department’s needs was stimulating. The discussion was open, lively, and creative and there were no “sacred cows.” Even though they worked in separate groups, when we came together in the end to develop the list of priority recommendations, the individual lists were almost identical!
Following that discussion was another one about services and how tightening the budget would affect them. Maggie Cosgrove, our CFO, and I have been working with individual department heads to analyze each department’s budget, services, and mandates to build the most efficient budget possible. Yesterday, department heads once again worked together to offer ideas and solutions to further decrease expenses as a Town. Is this going to cut services? In some cases, yes. Will it cost more in the long run, again, in some cases yes. For instance, if your driveway needs to be paved but you don’t have the money, it gets put off for a year or so. Your vehicle has mega-miles on it, is rusting, and you’re putting more repair work into it than it’s worth. In both cases, the long term
costs are more – but, you’re doing what you can afford at the time. We are doing the same with our roads and vehicles. Like you, if we don’t have the funds, we don’t have the funds.
I hope that I saw a lot of you at the Budget Forum last night. If you couldn’t make it, please make sure to fill out the quick and easy survey at www.colchesterct.gov. Your thoughts are very important. Please join us tonight (Thursday) at the Board of Selectmen meeting as we discuss both the proposed priority list of capital items and a conceptual overview of the budget. The final proposed budget will be provided to the Board of Finance on Monday, March 2nd. During the month of March, the Board of Finance will be holding many meetings
with individual departments and myself to discuss each department’s budget in depth. These are public meetings. Please if you’re interested in a particular item – parks maintenance, fire department, social services, senior services, etc. – attend the meeting for that department and hear what’s proposed. The meeting schedule can also be found at www.colchesterct.gov
We live in a wonderful community. Neighbors help neighbors and people truly care. Together we can weather this storm.
Previous Selectman Notes can be viewed at
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