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“Unless it starts raining money from somewhere”, Spencer Town Administrator Jeffrey Bridges told Selectmen on June 10 that he expects next year’s operating budget will fall short.
He reminded board members that the current budget was balanced only because ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds were applied “to make things even”.
The town administrator said the time has arrived to contemplate a possible Proposition 2 ½ override either in the spring or fall of 2025. He expects to return to the board with a list of capital items and other needs at a future meeting.
“This is all about if…” Bridges said. “What is the process to vet this stuff? What time frame do we want to do if we proceed?”
He noted there is a need to identify on a list the items the town would like to keep, what are enhancements and what it is willing to give up if an override fails.
“I don’t know what process was used in the past”, Bridges added.
Selectman Ralph Hicks said to his knowledge, Spencer has never had an override attempt for town government. He recalled a successful 2006 school department override vote that resulted in some layoffs, but not all that would have happened without the nearly $500,000 that was approved.
Hicks added the impact was 50 cents on the tax rate at the time. Bridges clarified that today, one cent raises $16,500, 10 cents equals $165, and so on.
When contemplating an override, Hicks stressed the importance of public input, televised meetings in a large enough room, and an impartial board to make decisions regarding a request. He said either a subcommittee or selectmen must look at the “big picture.”
Selectman Gary Woodbury corrected his colleague, saying a past override for town services “went down in flames.”
He said using one-time funds to balance the current town budget was “the biggest mistake in my book.”
Also, Woodbury said, the town should not have given $4.5 million in additional state funds to the school project. Instead, if more of the money was used to reduce taxes, the townspeople “might be more palatable.”
“People stepped up for the school, now you’re going to ask them to dig deeper and people just do not have it,” Woodbury said.
Selectman Anthony Pepe said that “an operational needs assessment or override,” should not just involve salaries. Instead, it should concern “other areas of the budget we’re getting killed on,” such as infrastructure, buildings, capital items and more.
He said they had to be “creative in the way it is introduced to the public and try to minimize the pain the best we can.” Multiple public hearings are necessary, Pepe agreed.
Member Jared Grigg said he would prefer the selectmen, rather than a subcommittee, oversee the process. He suggested planning workshops where this topic is the only thing on the agenda.
Bridges will return with more information at a future meeting.
Earlier in the session, the board reorganized following the election. John Harwood was again elected chair and Grigg was voted in as vice chair.
