In a notable display of unanimity, the selectmen agreed last week to spare the Council on Aging from budget cuts in fiscal year 2009. At a meeting last Friday to prepare for Saturday’s tri-board meeting, the selectmen considered three possible levels of budget cuts presented by Town Administrator Tim Bragan. In discussing proposed cuts to hours and wages in the areas of dispatch, the Department of Public Works, Finance Department, Fire Department, Council on Aging, Town Hall administration, and library, board members questioned Bragan on how service levels would be affected, and expressed concern particularly about proposed cuts in the COA budget.
With Bragan’s suggested budget cuts, the COA would see a reduction in staff hours, instead of the increase it was hoping for when Annual Town Meeting convened in March. Bragan’s proposal would have reduced hours for the COA outreach worker by 2.5 to 5 hours a week. Selectwoman Lucy Wallace asked COA Director Ginger Quarles, who was in the audience, what the impact would be. Quarles informed the board that the assistant coordinates outreach to seniors who are homebound, helps family members determine needed services, makes referrals for senior protective services, treatment for depression, and more. This position, said Quarles, is the “front line” for providing the social services and casework responsibilities of the COA.
Wallace told her fellow selectmen she was worried about cutting into the COA budget.
“It’s such a small part of our budget, and it’s such an important part of our population,” she said.
Board Chairman Leo Blair acknowledged the concerns brought up during the discussion.
“If we could put things back [in the budget], what things would we prioritize? The COA is a legitimate candidate,” he said.
Selectman Tim Clark took it one step further. “I don’t think the COA should be touched at all,” he said. “In order to maintain a balanced tax levy we need to benefit those who put the least demand on the system: seniors, and the agricultural and commercial communities. A cut in the COA budget would have a dramatic impact on the most vulnerable people in the community.”
Blair polled the group to determine how much support there was on the board for taking COA cuts off the table.
Selectman Ron Ricci said that his view of the board’s goal for that morning’s meeting was to come up with a picture of what the budget would look like with a $200,000 override and with no override. In his view, he said, “The goal has been met without the COA cuts.”
The other members concurred.
On a motion by Clark, the board voted to remove from the budget all proposed cuts to the Council on Aging budget.
