Even as Bow voters cut more than $400,000 from the town’s operating budget at Wednesday night’s town meeting, they ensured that at least one town project will move forward - the study of a proposed public-safety complex.
In the first three hours of the meeting, voters considered just two articles - the budget, which was cut from $8.1 million to $7.7 million, and a warrant article, which failed, urging selectmen to move ahead with a municipal water and sewer system.
But before adjourning for two weeks, voters also approved eight funded warrant articles, including $25,000 to design a new public-safety building for the police and fire departments. Voters set aside $163,000 to reconstruct the intersection of Bow Center and Bow Bog roads, of which part will be paid by the state.
Other money was earmarked for several capital reserve funds: $154,000 for the fire department, $150,000 for road construction in the business development district, $116,000 for public works equipment, $60,000 for highway construction and $50,000 for a town appraisal.
Voters also approved using $148,000 from the public-works fund to buy equipment.
Safety and sewers
The only funded warrant article to generate significant discussion was the public-safety building, which faced questions about the location and necessity of a new building. But ultimately, voters approved the article by a voice vote, clearing the way for the town to hire a firm to study potential sites and create a design. Any proposal will be brought back to town meeting next year, when voters will decide whether to appropriate money for construction.
The new complex would correct problems in the department buildings, including a lack of fire alarms and sprinklers in the fire department and the absence of temporary holding cells and training rooms for the police.
“Something needs to be done, and the sooner the better,” Fire Department Lt. Tom Ferguson said.
Police Chief Jeff Jaran was eager to move ahead.
“I’m looking forward to moving on to the next stage of planning,” Jaran said. “Obviously, there are some glaring needs in both the fire and police facilities, and that’s being addressed by this study.”
The town still needs to address specifics, such as the location, cost and effect on other town departments.
Michele Vecchione is program coordinator for the recreation department, which shares a building with the firefighters. She said she worries about public safety becoming the project’s sole focus.
“I want them to look at the whole use of the buildings, then pick a direction,” she said. “I don’t want them to just look at one department when more will be affected.”
The town will continue with its plans for the construction of a municipal water and sewer system on Route 3A.
The plan was approved in 2002 and delayed because of a promise by selectmen to not build until businesses could be attracted to defray the $12.5 million cost.
Voters rejected an advisory warrant article urging selectmen to move forward immediately. But the business development commission will go forward with plans to hold three workshops this fall with a professional planner, funded by grant money, to give community members and business owners a chance to voice their opinions.
“People need to understand better what’s proposed and the long-range impact,” Town Manager Jim Pitts said.
Budget cuts
Yesterday, town officials struggled to deal with the new operating budget, after an amendment by incoming Selectman Thomas Keane to cut more than $400,000 passed, 114-89. The new figure represents a 5 percent operating budget increase over last year, compared with an 11.4 percent increase proposed by the selectmen.
“There’s no question it will impact services,” Pitts said. “The cuts are deep enough that that’s unavoidable.”
Pitts said that when coupled with warrant articles, the budget was actually lower than last year’s and already pared down.
“The town’s growing, and demands are increasing, and we have to deal with it,” he said.
Officials said it is too early to predict where the cuts will be felt, but they will likely be far-reaching.
“Almost all areas will be touched in some way,” Board of Selectmen Vice Chairman Leon Kenison said. “Personnel, purchasing supplies and equipment, resurfacing roads, we’re probably not going to fill a proposed position or two, a whole host of things.”
The final decisions will need to be made by June 30, when the current budget expires.
Two new positions that would have been funded are an assistant town planner and a police lieutenant, which went from part time to full time.
Planning Director Bill Klubben said that although it was too early to determine how cuts would affect his department, “obviously, new positions are always on the list” to be cut.
Keane has called the threats to cut services “smoke and mirrors,” saying the cuts can be made by eliminating reserve funds and surplus.
Pitts and Kenison questioned Keane’s assertion.
“I’m not sure he fully understands municipal accounting and the regulations we have to operate by,” Kenison said.
The Department of Revenue Administration wants towns to keep a reserve fund with 5 percent to 10 percent of its annual budget, and Bow’s fund is at 6 percent to 7 percent, Kenison said. The selectmen have also drawn on the fund balance to fix roads and bridges damaged in floods in the past two years. Kenison added that if voters appropriate money for a specific capital reserve fund, the selectmen cannot use that money for operating expenses.
Bow town meeting will continue at 7 p.m. May 22 at Bow High School.