My Two Cents

Town Meeting is Monday, May 8th at the Dighton Rehoboth Regional School. If you have been watching the BOS, you know that we had placed the municipal complex back on the warrant only to pull it before it went to print. I was one of the selectman that wanted it back on…and it was based on responses from many people in town to put it back on….many thought it was a permanent override and voted against it. However, after we put it back on, it seems there are many opinions on what to do with our public safety building and town hall. Not sure where all these people were when we had many, many, many, did I mention, many meetings about the proposed municipal complex. There are other properties that may be “for sale” that may have potential as a new town hall and or public safety building. Some believe we can save a lot of money by getting some type of modular building…they are probably right. So, the first step we took was to put an RFP for an assessment of both the public safety building and town hall. Anyone that has been in either building know they are dumps. We talk about mold, asbestos, undrinkable water, etc….we will have an independent analysis of both buildings to detail any deficiencies in both buildings. We have also put some money in our facilities maintenance budget to address any critical area’s or costs to house employees if we should have to move them out before any correction to the deficiencies are done or if at some later date the town moves forward with new or renovated facility. All of this information will be helpful as well as help us all with potential solutions. I have to stress that whatever is decided we will need an override, debt exclusion to pay for it. Unless of course the analysis comes back that there are no issues with either buildings. I made the mistake of posting some comments on Rehoboth talk, facebook group. I was born too early, and still learning the ins and outs of it. I felt the need to post when that stupid flyer arrived in everyone’s mailbox, 3 days before the election. I then tried to answer questions after the vote failed as well as got a lot of feedback that made me vote in favor of putting it back on the warrant.

Now, I have pretty thick skin…I had to when I ran for office. I learned pretty early that I am not going to please everyone and regardless there will be people who don’t like me, never will, and never will agree with me. I’ve gotten over that. I always make decisions that I think are in the best interest of the town and town residents. I know I can always defend my position. Again, you may not agree with me…its’ my opinion. I do however try to give facts so that everyone can make informed opinions. And as the title of my column, give my two cents on an issue. I would NEVER be in favor of a permanent override for a capital item. Makes absolutely no sense! It would be like continuing to pay your mortgage long after your house is paid off. The wording of the ballot is dictated by state law. It was the same wording that was used for the Senior Center, the Dighton Rehoboth Regional School, Palmer River, etc…all had the same working. The ballot is simply asking you if you will allow to exempt prop 2 ½ (which caps the increase of your property taxes to 2 ½ percent each year ). The vote on the type of exemption/override, amount and for what purpose was voted on at Town Meeting. The ballot vote can not change town meeting vote by changing the type of override, the amount or the purpose. It’s that simple. The ballot is just asking you to exempt prop 2 ½ because town meeting vote voted as the source for funding a debt exclusion. So, next time an override is out for a ballot vote, refer back to town meeting for the type, amount, and purpose.

So, the municipal complex is off the warrant….there will be nothing to vote on at town meeting nor can anyone make a motion to vote on it since it has been removed from the warrant.

The budget….once again, we had to make some cuts or not fully fund the request of various departments due to lack of money. Once again, we used free cash to bridge the gap. Eventually that will run out. Then what? The school budget assessment is a major factor in our budget shortfall every year. Why don’t we have an assessment that simply is based on Rehoboth paying the cost of its K-8, and Dighton paying the cost of its K-8 and that we share the cost of the highschool based on the student population. Why doesn’t the school committee vote that way? Once that is established we will know if the town is still in a budget deficit and if so, what are some solutions. Until that is addressed, we will continue to struggle every year. I’m tired of beating a dead horse. For those of you who care, ask your school committee if they think it would be fair that each town pays for its own k-8 and then split the student population based on student enrollment at the highschool. It’s a yes or no question….do you think it is fair?

The town budget has some adjustment to wages in various departments due to contract negations completed for all unions. For some, the starting point was higher resulting in a larger increase from last year budget at town meeting. Some wage lines were adjusted based on many town employees grossly underpaid. Some of this was due to cuts years ago and zero raises since then. Regardless of budget shortfalls, we can’t continue to balance the budget on the backs of our town employees, my opinion.

So, if you want a say in where your tax dollars go, go to town meeting. This is our form of government. The Board of Selectman are bound by the budget voted in at town meeting. We can’t vote to expend any more monies above town meeting. After town meeting, if you want a say in what we do with our town buildings or have a plan…come to a selectman meeting. My opinion, we put all the plans on the table….identify the pros and cons to both…determine a cost and then represent back to town meeting in the fall for a vote. My two cents.