First Edition of the New Open Book

Writing a bit blind here. I haven't really be paying attention, to the town stuff that is.  Going to have to either dig deep and find the resolve to actually care a bit more about it; or, just fade away into the woodwork.

It has been some time since I have pounded away at the keyboard. The why is the part apathy locally and part rapped up in the S &G of what is going on nationally.  Since most of the remaining dedicated readers of this little exercise do not seem to want to waste your time scanning over the words typed out here relative to a picture picture bigger than local, there haven't been any lately.

But, perusing through the local weekly, a bit of information struck me as interesting.  

That would relate to the recommended budget of the Town Administrator. 

Let;s set aside any quibbling about the actual content for the moment.  Let us instead look in awe as to what we actually have.  A proposed budget. Submitted to our selectmen. Submitted to the residents of the Town of Fairhaven. Viewable online no less.

What does that mean?  It means the first open and transparent budget process.  It means changes in the numbers be it for expenses or revenues will have to be explained in a heck of a lot more detail than in the past, and the reasons justified. It means sudden and continuing shifts in the process are not going to be able to occur because others have someone magically been able to poke legitimate holes in your preferred spending methods and items, or decimate a rationale for your vision of reality.

Behind the scenes maneuvering, adjustments and plans aren't going to pop out, at least not with the same frequency.  The last minute revealing of plans even your average 5th grader knows have been months in the making are not going to be able to occur because you now have laid your cards on the table well in advance.

You slant on it all will depend on whether you are one who will lament the changes you will see in presentation, bickering, discussion and the loss of the old process; or, are one that sees the value in an upfront and open showing of what we actually have to spend and how we are spending it.

Now don't get me wrong There is nothing that requires a total acceptance of the TA's budget. There is nothing that says you can't add or subtract from the amounts being recommended. The difficulty some will have is in how to adjust to the new playing rules.

I have heard the whining about the schools starting. I have heard the crying about the IT position.  A number of other things have people in a tizzy.  The one good thing about it all, is it is out there and out there early.

Hopefully it will be even earlier next year.  At least for once, there seems to be an understanding that the administration's proposal for a budget can in fact be prepared in advance well in advance.

Now the most interesting thing going forward will be how the budget gets voted on. It is not the vote itself that is interesting.  It will be the effect, coupled with a reduction in the reserve fund (which I whole heartedly endorse).

What our TA might not fully grasp is the past practice of some to underestimate spending but spend nonetheless, relying on a reserve fund to bail them out.  What will be interesting will be the fall out over the ability to spend a bit more freely.  Hopefully it is minimal.  

With a reduction in the reserve fund, the reserve isn't going to be as big, and isn't going to be be able to be relied upon for the never ending parade of honest mistakes.

Personally, this writer would have no problem with abolishing the reserve fund entirely.  If the same people had to constantly head to a town meeting to get a bailout, well perhaps you would see and actual change in attitudes. If some people understood the fact that there was no money forthcoming if you overspend, you might see a bit more foresight.

Anyway ... I digress a bit.

Let's stay on the positive.  I am positively delighted to see a budget out. A budget which the architect drawing it up takes full responsibility for.  A budget being explained and submitted to the public.

We can and probably will disagree on some of the components (and I in fact do), but that is what the next stage of the process is.  Administration shoul, should always have been, submitting a budget which it believed in in advance.  In the past, both the old structure and old politics would get in the way of that.  Going forward, that budget now has to come out. It has to be claimed by its presenter. 

If for no other reason, it is a plus because we no longer have to listen to the reasons as to why it couldn't be done.

Enough for today.

Until next time.