BOS approves additional spending requests for FY12

The Board of Selectmen, with the support of Town Administrator Bill Friel and Finance Director Jim Murgia, approved nearly $130,000 in additional municipal spending for FY 2012, which amounts to roughly half of what all municipal department heads had requested for next year.

Selectmen did approve additional amounts for those department heads who requested it, but limited the amount to levels recommended by Friel and Murgia.

The police and fire departments both received an additional $35,000, while the veterans’ services department and library both received $20,000.

Selectmen also approved an extra $5,000 each for the town clerk’s office, Recreation Department, emergency management, and Council on Aging.

In other budget news, Friel reported that supplemental money must be found to cover $75,000 in legal bills, $72,000 for additional assessments to Blue Hills Regional School, and $600,000 to cover snow and ice removal costs. Friel also said he does not expect any new town employee contracts to be sent to the spring town meeting.

Selectmen also met with the Finance Committee Tuesday night to review the warrant articles for the upcoming town meeting, which begins April 25. The article that generated the most debate was the proposal to raise the restaurant meals tax another .75 percent (Article 34), which according to the state would net another $270,000 annually for Canton.

The article drew support from FinCom, Murgia and Friel. However, the reaction among selectmen was mixed, with John Connolly and Victor Del Vecchio supporting the idea, and the other three members — Sal Salvatori, Bob Burr, and Avril Elkort — expressing at least some reservations. The latter three all questioned the state’s revenue projections and did not want to hurt local business.

All five selectmen supported Police Chief Ken Berkowitz’s request to create a deputy chief position (Article 19), although they did have several questions about the article. Berkowitz is expected to meet with FinCom members to discuss the article tonight (Thursday).

Friel did inform selectmen and FinCom members that deputy chief is not a new position, but rather one that has not been filled for awhile.

Selectmen also reaffirmed their position from a year ago not to change the salaries of some elected officials (Article 7) and backed a proposal by Murgia to forgive 50 percent of additional interest on back taxes if they are paid in full by June 30 of each year (Article 31).

Selectmen also plan to move forward with the acquisition of Reservoir Pond (Article 35) if the current owners fulfill all conditions of their recently negotiated agreement (Click here for related story), and they supported the addition of 10 and 20 Dan Road as Chapter 43D priority development sites, which would allow for expedited permitting.

FinCom members also supported an article by selectmen to negotiate with the state for the future ownership of the Ponkapoag Golf Course (Article 37).

Selectmen deferred comments on all zoning articles pending a review by the Planning Board.

In other news Tuesday night:

* Selectmen set new parking restrictions for commuter parking on Greenlodge Street on a trial basis for the winter of 2012. More signs will be installed requiring motorists to purchase vouchers from the town, and the new signs will inform motorists of parking restrictions on one side of the street during the winter season between December 1 and March 1.

* Selectmen approved Dorice Khoury as a member of the Youth Commission.

* Elkort announced that the Blue Hills Civic Association and the Canton High Junior Statesmen program will co-sponsor a Candidates’ Night on Monday, March 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the library.

* Selectmen will next meet on Tuesday, March 8, at 7 p.m.

Click here to view the 2011 Annual Town Meeting Warrant.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Mar 3 2011. Filed under News, Police & Fire, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.