Highlighting News Stories for Our Town for the week of February 3,  2003

Previous Newsbreak Archive

Newsbreak for Walpole

The Week – Feb. 3

The Year – 2003

          Fiscal and Financial Crisis

Town administrator, Michael Boynton, delivered the annual budget message last Monday night to the Board of Selectmen with an audience in the main meeting room.

The message was somber at best. The financial situation in our country and at the state level has begun to provide an impact on the way in which the town will operate for the near future.

Basically, we will have fewer revenues from the state to provide needed services. With less money, we will be reducing the staff in the municipal side of government.

What do we know now?

1.              For this fiscal year, ending June 30, 2003, Walpole will receive nearly $280,000 less in state aid than expected.

2.              For the fiscal year beginning July 1, expectations are that state aid will be reduced by as much as 15%. It could be 10% or 20% depending upon the way that the governor and the legislature end up resolving the state budget deficits.

3.              As of July 1, 2003, 17 people in the municipal side of our town will be terminated as part of the staff reduction.

4.              Other town departments, the school department as an example, will be facing pressure to pare down their requests from early estimates.

Summary:

          Our town is facing a severe financial crunch over the next two years.

As Boynton said, “we will work to provide the same level of services to the town with fewer staff and resources.”