Bow Town Meeting continues May 28

Bow Editor — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:19:00 GMT

Bow’s Town Meeting outcome was similar to last year’s, as voters again decided to cut the budget by a significant amount. The May 14 meeting lasted until 11 p.m., with the budget and 13 other articles passing. Residents voted to continue discussion on the remaining articles during a second Town Meeting on Wednesday, May 28.

On May 14, voters approved an amendment to cut the budget from $8.3 to $7.9 million on a motion by resident Joe Mielcarz.

“I feel, as a resident of Bow, they are proposing a backbreaking budget, and I ask the voters to amend it,” Mielcarz said in front of attendees who half-filled Bow High School auditorium.

While introducing the budget, Selectman Jack Crisp said selectmen and the Budget Committee tried to keep the increase to a minimum, ending at an increase of about 8 percent.

“About 4.4 percent of the increases were out of the board’s control. If you hold the line, you have to find cuts. A status quo budget means a decrease in services,” he said.

Resident Mary Lee Sargent disagreed with Mielcarz’ amendment.

“I, for one, don’t want less roads paved. I don’t want less asphalt,” said Sargent. “Like everyone else, I don’t want to have increased taxes, but it’s reality. If I want the services, if I want the quality of life that I’m used to in Bow, I do not want us to have this scarcity thinking that we can’t pay for those services.”

During last year’s Town Meeting, selectmen came prepared with a budget of nearly $8.2 million, but then newly elected Selectman Tom Keane proposed to cut the budget to $7.7 million, an amendment that passed voter approval 114-89. As a result, town officials canceled paving plans last year and shut off many of the town’s streetlights, among other cuts.

“What I don’t see is unilateral support to acknowledge that we are in an economic crisis,” said resident Mark Smith. “You need to look at your own budget and see where you can cut corners and tighten up.”

The motion to amend the budget passed 175-130 by secret ballot. After further discussion, the amended budget passed 187- 108.

“We may have to cut services and there are some that can be cut,” said Mielcarz. “I make sacrifices, we all do. It’s time that we collectively make sacrifices. Maybe next year or the year after we can put that back in.”

Following the budget approval, voters addressed articles 24, 25 and 26 so the elderly residents in attendance would not have to stay until the articles would be discussed.

The articles, which dealt with property tax exemptions for the elderly, disabled and legally blind, all passed.

As a result of last year’s budget cuts, town officials decided to hold Bow’s road paving schedule for the year. During this year’s meeting, voters approved Article 5, which asked for $365,000 to pave 3.5 miles of roads, an impact of 30 cents per $1,000 of property valuation – the equivalent of $30 for the owner of a $300,000 home.

Voters also OK’d replacing a 1990 pumper truck for the Fire Department out of a capital reserve fund by passing Article 4, in addition to two dump trucks for $280,000 with the approval of Article 6.

Articles 7, 8 and 9 were approved, adding $210,000 to the highway construction capital reserve fund and Public Works Department equipment capital reserve fund, as well as $160,000 to the fire truck capital reserve fund.

After approving Article 10 to purchase a fire rescue truck for $130,000 out of a previously established fund, Article 11 passed by a standing vote, 89-54 to fix the culvert and retaining walls on Garvin Falls Road with no tax impact.

The final votes during the evening came on Article 12, to add $60,000 to the fire rescue equipment capital reserve fund, and Article 13, to approve a cycled property valuation update.

When 11 p.m. came, residents and selectmen were discussing purchasing self-contained breathing apparatus equipment, but the article was postponed until the second half of the meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 28, at the Bow High School auditorium.

$8.3M Bow budget goes to vote May 14

Bow Editor — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:11:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

At Bow’s Town Meeting last year, residents voted to cut the operating budget significantly. This year, town officials will ask voters to increase the 2008-09 budget about $602,000 over last year.

This year, both the Budget Committee and Board of Selectmen agreed on the proposed operating budget of about $8.3 million, compared to last year’s budget of $7.7 million when Selectman Tom Keane’s floor amendment was approved 114-89.

Town Manager Jim Pitts said he knows there could be more motions to cut the budget this year at the Wednesday, May 14, Town Meeting, beginning at 7 p.m., at Bow High School.

“I don’t doubt there will be some motions from the floor, and that’s the taxpayers’ right to do that,” said Pitts. “I hope they’re prepared to identify what service they are proposing we could do without.”

After last year’s cuts, town officials were forced to cut services such as non-emergency paving and street lights, something Pitts said was hard to do.

“It was very difficult for the selectmen to arrive at the decision of what to cut. We were cutting services that had been routinely part of our town budget,” he said. “Generally speaking, the budget going to Town Meeting is extremely realistic. While the operating budget is up from last year, it in essence is restoring that cut from last year.”

Budget Committee members estimate an increase in the total town portion of the tax rate to be 83 cents per $1,000 assessed property value over last year, if all warrant articles pass.

An 83 cent increase in the rax rate would result in a bill of $250 more than last year for the owner of a $300,000 home.

Originally, selectmen and the Budget Committee had budgets differing by $15,000, but the Budget Committee voted to restore that amount to the library’s section of the budget, leaving the two proposals equal.

“We were concerned that if we don’t continue to contribute to the book collection, there would be a negative impact,” said Budget Committee Chairman Dan De Vasto. “We want to make sure that we have enough to provide the level of service that the people in town have grown accustomed to.”

Pitts said town officials were cognizant of the difficult economic times while constructing the proposed budget.

“I can understand the pain of voting to increase your tax, particularly when the economy’s in the shape it is. Almost 5 percent of the increase is caused by external costs that we can’t control,” he said. “They’re dealing with the increase of diesel and gasoline, and so are we. If you hold us to the same number of dollars as last year, you’re actually imposing a cut because we can do less and pay less than the year before.”

Bow News : vote

Bow Town Meeting continues May 28

$8.3M Bow budget goes to vote May 14