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The board unanimously approved the article, which recommends a $204,000 cut to schools, a $56,000 cut to police, a $50,000 cut to public works and a $40,000 cut to fire. The article also recommends a $60,000 reduction in the reserve fund, which is currently around $583,000.
The board has discussed with the Warrant Committee and school officials the need to conserve spending for fear the state will announce current fiscal year state aid cuts.
Selectmen John Shields said the town has been “ahead of the ball” in planning for local cuts that could still impact current budgets.
“We really started this conversation in November” when the Warrant Committee announced a plan to conserve spending, he said.
“I think the situation is still fluid,” he added. “The number could change … our recommendations could change.”
Approximately $10 million of the town’s budget – roughly 10 percent – comes from state aid, Selectmen Chair Kathy Fagan said. She said some other towns depend on state aid for over half of their budget.
Meanwhile, Shields and Fagan butted heads over another article that proposes the town treasurer be an appointed rather than elected office.
Shields said he is “totally against” the idea, calling it “a total change in how the town is run.”
“For 200 years we’ve had this position. I don’t see where it’s broken,” he said.
Fagan said she sees the article as a “narrow window of opportunity” to discuss the future of the position now that Town Treasurer Kevin Sorgi is leaving.
“A lot of communities are doing this,” she said of the switch to an appointed treasurer. “It makes sense to at least talk about it.”
Fagan said the article would allow the Selectmen to appoint the best candidate who can fulfill the “the increasing complexity of the position over the years.”
She also said job performance of an appointed treasurer wouldn’t be based on “worrying about winning the next election.”
“Right now we cannot, by law, make qualifications for the position. Anyone can win … anyone can become treasurer,” she said.
But Shields disagreed. He said the past few treasurers have been highly qualified and successful.
“People get it right most of the time,” he said.
Shields said it would be unfair to encourage people to run for the office if it may not exist.
Fagan urged residents who want to run for treasurer to do so.
“This may go nowhere … right now, this is still an elected position,” she said.
Shields voted against including the article. Fagan and Selectman Marion McEttrick voted in favor.
McEttrick said she’s not opposed to putting it in the warrant but doesn’t know if it’s a good idea.
“The point is, this is the only time in 28 years [since Sorgi has been in office] for us to talk about this,” she said.
“What will work against us is the limited time …I absolutely will have a position before [Special] Town Meeting,” she said.
The Selectmen also approved an article submitted by the School Committee to hire a consulting team that would study ways the schools could conserve energy.
The contract, which would last at least three years, would be performance-based and paid for with the money saved on energy costs, Town Administrator Kevin Mearn said.