Board of Selectmen Minutes
Meeting date:
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Board of Selectmen
March 4, 2008
Present:
Panny Gerken
Kenneth F. Troup
Jodi Ross, Town Administrator
Linda Day, Town Secretary
The Board of Selectmen met at the Town Hall at 7:00 p.m.
Present: David Lindsay, Bob Czekanski, Randy Dinjian and Stan Wysocki
SCHOOLS
The Nashoba Regional School District preliminary budget provided for an 8.27% increase for Fiscal Year 2009. This is a 10.98% increase to Bolton’s assessment. Mr. Lindsay stated that 5 tiers of cuts were provided at the school committee meeting. The cuts made in Tier 1 through Tier 4 were for new programs and reduced the amount of the increase in the budget by approximately 3%. Suggested cuts reduced Bolton’s assessment to 7.29% which equals approximately $728,000 and we planned on an increase of approximately $405,000 for our preliminary budget. Tier 5 was for an additional 1% cut and would come from existing programs. The budget includes 5 to 6 new full time positions. Ms. Ross stated that she understood that there was not an increase in enrollment. Ms. Gerken and Mr. Troup stated that they were not comfortable with going below level services in the school budget although there were concerns with cutting the town budget to accommodate the school budget. Mr. Troup stated he was comfortable with free cash at $500,000 or a level that is satisfactory to the Town Accountant and Town Treasurer to manage this year. Ms. Ross stated that with the Board of Selectmen and Advisory Committee supporting a 3% cost of living adjustment (COLA) all departments could be asked to limit spending from now until June. Mr. Lindsay stated one of his cuts was to reduce the COLA from 3% to 2%. The Board of Selectmen expressed concern with reducing the COLA from 3% to 2% for non-union employees when union employees will be receiving 3%. The Selectmen would rather cut back on the paving schedule versus cutting the COLA. Further discussion was deferred until after the Tri-Town meeting on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 in Stow to see what the other towns have to say regarding the NRSD budget.
Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted Linda L. Day