Franklin Matters: Just so you are not disappointed!

Monday, June 15, 2020

Just so you are not disappointed!

If you think that the Town Council budget hearings will be a place of enlightenment on what drives elements of the town budget, sorry to say, you'll likely be disappointed.

If you think, anyone will find the money to resolve the budget issues, sorry to say, you'll likely be disappointed.

Given what has transpired at previous Town Council budget hearings, I believe that they are mostly a waste of time. Granted the Council does have final say on what and how it is spent. No question.

It used to be that the Town Council got a presentation from each of the departments so you would know what the individual drivers of the budget are: what is the ambulance call volume, how many people visit the library, how many roads can be re-built or chip sealed this year.... and so forth.

Unfortunately for the past several years, the Town Council budget hearings have been an exercise in time wasting sound bites missing the point of being informative to us the residents and taxpayers.

I hope it changes, I do have hope. Without a preview of the actual agenda (due later Monday), I won't know how much hope there is.

In the meantime, with previous experience as the guide, the clerk of the council will read each line item of the department summary budget (expenses and salaries), one or more councilors may call for a 'hold' on a department live or the whole department.

After completing the reading of the budget, then the discussion turns to the councilors who raised the hold on each item. Those councilors get their questions answered, the councilor gets a sound bite, and then the discussion moves to the next item.

If this proceeding sounds thrilling. It isn't. It is mostly a waste of time.

You and I as taxpayers are much better off with the Finance Committee budget hearings where each department head gets to say their piece, the FinCom gets to ask insightful questions, and we get to find out what really goes on.

This process does take time. The FinCom budget hearings were spread over four nights. Fortunately, the audio and text notes are already prepared for your listening pleasure and speed reading.

Insights, yes. Time taking, yes. But worth it, definitely a yes!

Budget Hearing #4 - 6/04/20 (remainder of the department budgets, check agenda for listing; capital funding discussion and overall budget votes)

Budget hearing #3 - 6/02/20 (all DPW, including the enterprise accounts, water, sewer trash/recycling and the proposed storm water utility)