Most municipal budgets approved: Regional, town school spending pushed off until next meeting

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on May 09, 2008

As budgets for most departments are being approved by Town Meeting with no changes to the Finance Committee recommendations this spring, the representative body this week postponed discussion on the school budgets out of concern for the status of the cafeteria workers.

Leo Maley of Precinct 5 told Town Meeting Monday that the School Committee should explain the decision to require the school cafeteria workers to work directly for the new food vendor Whitsons Food Service Corp., rather than remain school district employees.

Town Meeting agreed by a 121 to 69 count to support Maley's amendment and postpone the budgets until the May 21 session.

Maley said he wants members of the School Committee to publicly defend their decision and present their rationale to Town Meeting, noting that the issue of possible worker injustice needs a thorough public airing.

School Committee Chairwoman Elaine Brighty said the decision could not be re-examined or re-evaluated. "We can't void it without losing the whole food contract for next year," Brighty said.

She added that not all the information that has been disseminated is accurate. "Some of this is misinformation, and I'm sorry it's put out like this," Brighty said.

The cafeteria workers average 17 years of service and, according to an informational sheet they distributed to Town Meeting members, could have their wages frozen, lose a retirement plan and have no job security with Whitsons.

The decision, said School Committee member Andy Churchill, is part of the difficulties and challenges of the rising costs of the non-educational portion of the school budget. But he said the new contract promises to pay the "lunch ladies" good wages and provide them good benefits.

Still, Jim Oldham of Precinct 5 said there should be a full hearing on the issue. "Public sentiment in Amherst has to be running 90 percent in favor of the lunch ladies," Oldham said.

Others, though, like Baer Tierkel of Precinct 4, said Town Meeting should not involve itself in a School Committee issue.

Town Meeting approved budgets for the Department of Public Works, the Planning, Conservation and Inspections departments, Community Services Department, and general government in the second and third sessions of the 249th annual Town Meeting April 30 and Monday, making no adjustments to Finance Committee recommendations.

Though some Town Meeting members proposed amendments to increase the public works and community services budgets, add an economic development director, and make reductions to the Planning Department staffing and in the Human Resources Department, all these efforts were rejected.

Members approved the $1.73 million budget for the Department of Public Works, which is up 2.2 percent, or $36,473, over this year's budget, and maintains the 26.9 full-time equivalent employees.

An amendment by Vince O'Connor of Precinct 1 to increase the public works budget by $60,000, arguing that the town is spending $100,000 less than it takes in from excise taxes, was defeated by voice vote.

O'Connor said that the additional money could help the town deal with antiquated traffic lights, planning for paving roads and repairing potholes.

DPW Superintendent Guilford Mooring acknowledged there was a "bumper crop" of potholes this spring and that the budget has no extra money for filling them. "There was no additional funds put in for potholes," Mooring said. "We've spent the line item for asphalt already."

Town Manager Larry Shaffer told Town Meeting that a comprehensive review of all town roads is going to soon take place and eventually there will be a proposal for dealing with all of the road problems as a package.

"We're going to take a look at that whole issue," Shaffer said.

Town Meeting approved an $851,853 budget for planning, conservation and inspections, despite three efforts to reduce the budget by anywhere from $36,861 and $85,843. The final tally vote in favor of the proposed budget was 121-52, meaning the proposed cuts had been rejected.

The budget, even without further trims, represents a $20,028 decrease, or 2.3 percent drop, from this year's budget.

Robie Hubley of Precinct 9 said maintaining the detailed permitting process is important to the quality of life in Amherst. "It's what makes life here special," Hubley said. Flo Stern of Precinct 1 agreed with this sentiment, noting that Amherst has a planning process that depends on talented staff.

Hwei-Ling Greeney of Precinct 10 proposed the largest cut at $85,843, which would have meant eliminating both currently vacant positions in the Planning Department and reducing its permanent staff to three. Even then, Amherst would have more staffing than either South Hadley or Belchertown, the latter of which has a land mass twice that of Amherst, she said.

After James Smith of Precinct 6 suggested an $80,000 cut in the Planning Department, Stan Gawle of Precinct 2 proposed cutting only the vacant planning position with a salary of $36,861, the so-called junior planner, suggesting that the other position, a senior planner, might be needed to work on the ongoing master plan process.

"Taxpayers should not be taxed for personnel services that aren't being provided to the public," Gawle said.

But Shaffer said losing the two positions would be going after the core of Amherst and the town's ability to staff committees.

Shaffer added that even though the two positions are vacant, he was able to use the money appropriated for each for both efficiencies, such as the purchase of laptops and a MUNIS record-keeping system, and consolidation within the departments, including the relocation of inspections to the second floor of Town Hall and installing new work stations.

Richard Morse of Precinct 7 questioned how much authority Shaffer had to spend within departments after Town Meeting approved the budgets. Shaffer said once a budget is approved, he has full discretion on how the money is spent.

More budgets

The $1.7 million budget for community services is a decrease of $44,037, or 2.5 percent, from this year's $1.74 million budget. O'Connor tried to adjust this figure by restoring subsidies so low-income children and families can participate in more programs. This was defeated by Town Meeting.

O'Connor also tried to add an economic development director to the $6.15 million general government budget. "This is a position that is needed," O'Connor said. O'Connor's amendment was turned down by voice vote.

Even though Shaffer had the position in his budget if money were available, he told Town Meeting that until there is a tangible project for such an employee to work on, creating and funding the position wouldn't make sense.

Gawle sought to reduce the general government budget by eliminating a payment to Kay Zlogar, the former director of Human Resources. "The purpose of this amendment is to remove $43,000 budget for a human resources consultant," Gawle said. But Shaffer said the human resources consultant may be the best bargain the town has. "She knows the organization inside and out; she knows the people inside and out," Shaffer said.

Stern, who serves on the Personnel Committee, said the Human Resources Department is already understaffed. "To say we need to cut the human resources consultant is ridiculous at this point," Stern said.

Town Meeting also approved the $1.45 million budget for debt service, the $4.22 million budget for the water fund, a $3.67 million budget for the sewer fund, a $625,524 budget for the solid waste fund and a $1.01 million budget for the transportation fund.

The library service budget and joint capital planning purchases will come before Town Meeting at the next sessions, scheduled for May 12, 14, 19, 21 and 28.