This was posted on the Reformer Face Book page tonight.
SELECTBOARD CONSIDERING HALTING POLICE-FIRE PROJECT.
The board met for 90 minutes Tuesday to consider making cuts to the FY 2015 budget. The board is asking interim Town Manager Patrick Moreland to investigate a range of cuts, including cutting positions in the library and Parks and Recreation Department. The board is also considering halting the $14 million police-fire project. The board is going to meet on April 29 to make final decisions about the budget.
Why is it that whenever monies need to be cut public libraries or recreational programs are always the first place town government looks to? Why should something that is a vital and much loved part of Brattleboro – places that provides education, entertainment, a sense of community and too many other services to name -be the first ones on the chopping block? How about some of the governing members of this town take a salary reduction or take a look at reducing hours in other town components and stop allowing the library to be the first solution that comes to mind.
Just go ahead and halt "the $14 million police-fire project"
The only thing the Selectboard probably needs to do is, not just consider it, but go ahead and halt “the $14 million police-fire project.”
I have not met one town person who does not support the need for our police and fire services. It seems though, the question of enhanced police and fire services is what at hand. Particularly, if the price tag is 14 million for this small town, regardless of what is kicked in by the Feds.
Shelving the project for now will give breathing room and provide a landscape to examine all of the visible features and itemized cost/needs projections.
The Fed money isn’t really going anywhere…and neither is the ever ubiquitous “Homeland Security.”
Eliminating a vacant position
Up until 8 or 10 years ago Brattleboro had not had an Asst. Town Manager. Than all of a sudden we were told we gotta have one so a new position at a good salary was put in place and someone was hired. That person has since left.
The board should consider eleminating this position on a permanent basis.