This is my fourth year on the RTM Finance Committee. Many people have asked me what the committee’s job is, and now that we’ve finished our report (link), I can give a specific answer.
Our job is to provide citizen oversight of the Selectboard and the town’s budget. This report represents the culmination six months of research, analysis, and hard work by David Levenbach, Millicent Cooley, Mike Hutcheson, Paula Melton, and myself. We watched and rewatched Selectboard meetings, interviewed Town staff, and performed independent research.
Some notable sections:
- A discussion of the Town’s new budget process
- A critique of the decision to give a Revolving Loan Fund grant for an Economic Development Coordinator
- A critique of the process for spending ARPA funds
- A review of this year’s human services budget process
- A deep dive into staff salaries, new positions, and salary increases
- A deep dive into the future of municipal EMS, and a critique of the new debt forgiveness policy
I know this work can seem dry or cold, but Paula put it perfectly in our report: “The General Fund budget is more than a list of dollar amounts: it defines and expresses our community’s values. It also of course has real-world impacts on the size of our tax bills and rent checks.”
Talk is cheap. Where we put our money shows our true colors.
If this kind of oversight and attention to detail is something you find valuable, I hope you’ll consider voting for me on Tuesday. I plan to bring the same ethic to my seat on the Selectboard.
Moving up
Oscar did excellent work on the Finance Committee as he done in previous years. He’ll listen to the people of the town and will make thoughtful decisions if you elect him to the Selectboard.