The statement from the Town Administrator that beyond this fiscal year 2018, the amount for veterans services will not be sustainable shows the questions the Advisory Committee has had about revenue since last year's spending plan disaster were and are still very valid. Answers and information seems to be harder and harder to get from town hall, especially from the selectmen's office. The apparent new mouth piece of at least one member of the select board does not really under stand this, it would seem, based on this town employee's published comments. It should also be noted it took about 9 months to get some debt numbers out of town hall, while word from there was that the financial team had everything all set.

Right now and really right along, the Advisory Committee's position seems to be that Town finances, including revenue, should be stated on the conservative side and that stated revenue should not be overstated. At least one member of the Advisory Committee had questions concerning new growth and those concerns turned out to be true and accurate.

Hard questions could not really be formed until a spending plan was made available so anyone could see the base being used to cover planned or stated expenses and that plan was not made available until some time in March, March 13, 2017 is the date on the memo from the Town Administrator concerning this plan. The more important question should be why was the town by-laws concerning the budget/spending plan and the town meeting warrant not followed again, by this board of selectmen. This is a question for this year, this time and for the current board of selectmen. Perhaps the town employee who is the mouth piece for at least one of the selectmen (in my opinion) should be asking that question at an open meeting.



posted by Jeff Bennett