Capital Budget: NHRs take & the tentative schedule
The NHRs Luther Turmelle offers an opening to the capital budget:
Of the $42 million that is proposed to be spent over the fiveyear period, $8.1 million would be spent on 20 projects during this fiscal year.
"Michael (Milone) gives us a wish list and we pare it down to what we can afford," said Democratic Councilman Michael Ecke, the Budget Committee chairman.
I find that comment fascinating. It certainly suggests "fiscal responsibility" on the part of the majority. Though it does seem to leave out two critical issues:
1) the majority also adds to the wish list and "pares it up" - i.e. the turf
2) the majority also tries to ignore issues - i.e. the pool bubble
But I did get to counter one point on the capital budget that seems to be completely out of touch with reality:
$191,000 in this fiscal year to be spent on making improvements to the community pool, including fixing water damage in the locker rooms, roof repairs to the lobby and a resurfacing of the bottom of the pool.
Republican Councilman Tim White said the pool improvements don't make sense in light of the work of a council subcommittee looking at a long-term strategy for reducing subsidies for the facility.
"Let's take a comprehensive approach to this," White said. "We should fast-track coming up with a long-term solution."
And keep in mind that back in February when I proposed a resolution to address the bubble, the majority acknowledged that there was likely enough time to address the bubble in this capital budget.
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And on a related note... here's the tentative schedule for the Capital Budget meetings:
Monday, July 28, 2008, 7:30 p.m. – Budget Committee meeting
Overview
Finance
Library
Thursday, July 31, 2008, 5:30 p.m. – Bus Tour followed by Budget Committee meeting
Thursday, August 14, 2008, 6:00 p.m. – Budget Committee meeting
Education
Thursday, August 14, 2008, 7:30 p.m. – Public Hearing
Monday, August 18, 2008, 6:00 p.m. – Budget Committee meeting
Fire
WPCD
Police
Planning
Public Works
EDC
Public Property
Energy
Thursday, August 21, 2008, 6:00 p.m. – Budget Committee meeting
Review
Thursday, August 28, 2008, 6:00 p.m. – adoption at Special Meeting
Tim White
2 comments:
Now there’s a silly idea, fast tracking something, anything associated with the town pool.
Q. Let’s see, how many decades has the pool been a talking point?
A. It’s not quite as bad as the Post Office yet but the town is headed into decade 2 and still we have a mess on our hands.
The thing this town needs to fast track is a solution to the level of governance by the people and for the people that actually seems to play out lately. Too few folks making decisions on the long term financial health of the town.
"Michael (Milone) gives us a wish list and we pare it down to what we can afford," said Democratic Councilman Michael Ecke, the Budget Committee chairman."
This is just a lot of Bull &%$*. Our times do not call for a wish list like kids dream up for Christmas. During these extremely bad times, the capital budget should be limited to absolute needs and nothing more. The tax payers can not afford paying to things that are not needed. The Dems and the TM can't keep supporting their own interests, their special interest groups and keep awarding contracts to their friends.
It's time to get rid of the council Dems, Town Manager and anyone that uses their position for their own enrichment and replace them with people that want to truly serve the taxpayers.
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