FARMINGTON — Selectmen Wednesday, March 2, voted unanimously to keep $350,000 for road paving in the proposed 2022 budget.
“Contractor’s schedules are 85% booked for this coming season,” Philip Hutchins, public works department head, said. “There’s about a six month back order on drainage culverts.”
Typically projects aren’t put out to bid until after the annual Town Meeting (usually held in late March), he said. With that pushed back until May everything will be postponed, the 30-day bid process will set things back to June, drainage products won’t be available until November, and culverts need to be installed before paving, Hutchins noted.
The road budget could be cut to the $300,000 approved last year or keep the extra $350,000 to enable pre-buying of materials — get a head start for next year, he said. If the budget is flat lined at $300,000 the second phase of the High Street project will be finished but nothing more, Hutchins said. Cutting it could address controversy over other budgetary increases, help relieve the tax burden, he added.
Would the $300,000 cover the High Street project, Selectman Joshua Bell asked.
“We were lucky enough to have locked into the price for High Street,” Hutchins said. The annual paving bid will be affected by these increasing costs, he noted.
“The overseas conflict is driving petroleum prices up, how long this conflict lasts is hard to say,” Hutchins answered when asked if he foresaw construction costs going down next year.
“This is a real kick in the teeth,” Selectman Stephan Bunker said. “It’s disappointing how the whole economy and market has shifted.”
“I would lean towards leaving it in the budget, it’s there for a reason,” Selectman Michael Fogg said. “Next year when [Hutchins] is ready to solidify contracts the money is already there and he can do his business, not have to wait until the March Town Meeting. I don’t feel this budget needs to be cut, the money we allocate for it will go for the very same thing, put it in reserve.”
“I agree…it will help put us in a better position for 2023,” Selectman Scott Landry said.
“With the Russian conflict going on, you’re looking at a 60% increase this spring,” Hutchins said. A 15 inch culvert that was $345 for a 20 foot section is now $552, he noted. The budget for culverts is normally $15,000, he said.
Last year binder for pavement cost $68 per ton, today it is $110 per ton — that’s not tomorrow, Hutchins said. There is 20% inflation for non-petroleum products, he noted.
“I’m inclined to keep it in,” Selectman Matthew Smith said. “If we don’t use it, can hold it over if we need to.”
“It would be a way to reduce the budget,” Bell said. “I think the public would rather us have money to fix roads, find other places to save money rather than take it from roads.”
Selectmen then voted 4-1 to accept the Town Meeting warrant as written. Bell voted in opposition.
At a special meeting Thursday, Feb. 24, the board postponed the Annual Town Meeting (already moved to April 25 from March 28) to May 9, agreed to hold an executive session March 2 to discuss employee compensation, then vote to approve the warrant at the regular March 8 meeting.
Consultation with the town’s lawyer determined the executive session would have been illegal unless the discussion was about someone specific, Smith said. We’re talking about 30 specifics, he noted.
Budgets can’t be talked about without putting information out, that’s where the salary is, it’s a public process, Bunker said. An executive session would be to talk about performance, behavior, discipline or legal issue, he said.
Bell suggested getting explanations of the percent increase for each department.
“We looked at [the budget], we’re going over the same numbers,” Fogg said. They have been accepted two times, he said.
“If we went article by article is that your opportunity to significantly change as we go down through them,” Bunker asked Bell.
“It doesn’t appear the board wants to do that,” Bell said. “I’m just one voice.”
The board in January approved an $8.5 million 2022 budget, up $1.65 million over the current year. About $650,000 was cut from the proposed budget then.
A 7.3% cost of living adjustment was factored into the budget plus additional pay increases to bring employees more in line with what similar towns pay.
At prior meetings Bell had asked for more details on the additional raises, had suggested an across the board percentage increase rather than looking at each position’s disparities.
“Each year there is a knee jerk reaction to a budget that is increasing,” Fogg said. It doesn’t translate to a massive tax cost, he noted.
“I think 24.6% causes that knee jerk reaction,” Bell said. People felt the solar farm was going to reduce their taxes, he said. Bell added he didn’t know why there was a meeting, why town meeting was moved.
“It feels like a waste of time,” he said.
“I will admit this budget process has been somewhat chaotic,” Smith said. “This was our learning year, we all make mistakes. Some of us didn’t communicate enough or give enough guidance.”
Smith said the budget is sound, can be maintained, will reward some people who need to be, and get some other things done.
“If you do have an opinion, you have a love for this town,” Smith said. It’s time to put it to Town Meeting, let the voters debate it, he noted.
“I’m thankful we still have that process, a lot of towns don’t,” Smith said.
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