Spend Spend Spend;
The one comment on the 17 budget was that after looking at how much money is available to spend and with that amount divided up, there is $180,000.00 left, so rather than put it in a rainy day fund or a stabilization or capital projects fund, it was stated that we may be able to cover some of the things dept. heads want. Nothing has changed, get 5 bucks extra and just spend it. What was really interesting was the disclosure that at least a few selectmen wish to go back to getting paid.
My thought on one scenario is to keep the interim town administrator around for another year and create the assistant town administrator position along with formal training so next year the board can say it is time to move to a full time town administrator so how about we move the assistant to full time town administrator and there, we now have a full time town administrator. So we will then have to hire a new assistant town administrator? It just seems like more of the same, but lets hope the select board actually begins looking for an experienced professional rather than some more of the give it to the next longest serving individual which does not always equal the best interest of the taxpayers.
Jeff Bennett