Capital spending projected higher than ATM forecast
The Capital Planning and Investment Committee (CPIC), Municipal Buildings Committee (MBC), and School Committee attended the Jan. 29 Finance Committee (FinCom) meeting to review budgets.
The CPIC reviewed a revised five-year capital plan which bore little resemblance to the plan presented at last year’s Annual Town Meeting. That report projected 2012 spending of $380,825, compared to a current forecast of $1,664,000. Most of the difference is spending for municipal buildings. Another major change is replacement of a Fire Department brush truck, which was estimated at $120,000 in fiscal 2013, but is now projected at $145,000 in fiscal 2012.
CPIC Chairman George McKenna described a rating approach used by CPIC to rank and prioritize projects, and in some cases to defer them. McKenna said that CPIC recommendations are not yet final, pending more information, including the Feb. 5 “quad board” meeting—a joint meeting of the FinCom, selectmen, School Committee, and CPIC—called to review Municipal Buildings Committee plans.
MBC Chairman Ron Ostberg spoke about $1.02 million in the capital plan: $620,000 for enabling roadwork and $400,000 for schematics and final design of Town Hall and Hildreth House renovations. Ostberg said these plans would be more fully described in the Feb. 1 report to the Board of Selectmen, and again at the Feb. 5 multi-board meeting.
Superintendent Thomas Jefferson and the School Committee (SC) responded to questions that had been provided by FinCom prior to the meeting. After brief discussion, FinCom expressed appreciation for the comprehensive explanation of the budget and cooperation from the superintendent and the SC in complying with budget guidelines. SC Chairman Keith Cheveralls said that the final schools budget would be voted at its Feb. 14 meeting.
Remaining to be reviewed are the budgets of selectmen and Land Use Boards, planned for the Feb. 3 Fincom meeting.
