Out of Gas

I started watching the selectmen's meeting last night.  I fell asleep at some point during the discussion of the water conservation steps that are in the works by the state which will be enforced in the event levels of the river drop.  

I get how important this is as an issue  I was actually listening to the guest engineer with more than just mild interest.  When our resident engineer then regurgitated the guest engineer's presentation, that is when the eyelids fell.

I am a tad upset with myself because the posted agenda for the meeting denoted a number of topics to be addressed that I needed some info on.

So this is a very sincere request that if you watched the meeting and can provide the synopsis for the discussion relative to: the capital planning committee; policy and procedures; or OBRA please let me know.  

Also, I would appreciate your tips on how you managed to stay awake that long.

I was all prepared for a real good rant today, based on what I expected to hear during last night's meeting.  I am guessing I could probably write the piece and not be very far off the mark despite having missed most of the meeting.  

Rather than take the chance that there might have been a meeting that actually exceeded my expectations, I will wait until the meeting makes on demand, or I can utilize a press article, or someone gives me an update.

Hopefully it did though.  Everyone is essentially spinning their wheels at this point in the budget process waiting for the commandments to be issued.  Whether the same will be ones that have a chance of being followed remains to be seen.

It is becoming disheartening to listen to the chatter on the street.  Getting any effective change started for the May TM is going to be a really uphill battle.  Most everyone seems to acknowledge the need for it.  The how and what are the two points that seem to quickly scatter people's opinions.  

I am hearing proposals ranging from leave everything as is except expand the number of selectmen to going to a mayor form of government.  Those two extremes in my opinion wouldn't work.  

Yes leaving things as is would be an extreme for me.  That is because I firmly believe the fact the foundation of this town has collapsed has to do as much with pure dumb luck as anything else.  

Expanding an "as is" situation from three to five selectmen is just going to add to more bodies to the mix.  Two more elected officials who will be more of a hindrance than a solution.

As to a "Mayor", don't see that step working here.  To make it work you would need to do away with town meeting.  I for one am not willing to give up on that institution at this point and neither do I see the need.

What will come pout of everything will of course fall somewhere in between.  

Shifting gears ....

There is an opinion piece in the S-T today, "Pain at the pump has turned into downright misery".  Interesting piece about how a 20 cent per gallon spike for gas due to various conditions is squeezing the average citizen.  Just imagine the squeeze a #0 cent per gallon permanent tax hike would cause.  

You have to wonder just what people are thinking when they come out and support such a gas tax increase.  As so eloquently stated in the paper today, "Neither the economy nor the average American worker can withstand this kind of economic squeeze for long. The question is: How bad will it get and how long will it last?"

It could very well get so bad that you have to add another 30 cents per gallon. 

Walking away from that one ...

If you had to reduce or eliminate something from the town budget, what would it be and why?  

The tax levy will end up being maxed out.  No proposal by anyone at this point in time involves a requested budget scenario that doesn't do that.  So far, proposed budget scenarios are being geared to raise the maximum amount of taxes, while at the same time reducing operational expenses to insure "reserves" so when we borrow the money that will raise your taxes over and above the levy limit, we get the best interest rate possible, so we don't raise your taxes any higher than we have to.

Can you follow that logic?

Whether you can or not, that is the underlying current for the budget scenarios which have been presented (or which may have been voted on last night).  Nothing really changes that.

With the various spending scenarios, we are running a deficit, so what would you do?

Do you fashion a budget which reduces services, but increases salaries?

Do you cut back on capital items again, to preserve positions?

I always hear about what can't be done or what shouldn't be done. 

I am looking for ideas.  Good ones hopefully.  

Enough for today.  Be safe.