That‘s a $1.2 million increase. That’s more of an increase than we have new revenue in the budget.”

Tim King

I’m definitely concerned that we’re not anywhere near balanced once you put in the School Department request.”

Shana Shufelt

WESTPORT — Any thought of celebrating Town Administrator Tim King’s announcement that he had found “modest” ways to plug a final $109,000 gap and balance the proposed 2022 budget was short-lived at last Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.
But what about the schools, someone asked.

He hadn’t heard from the School Department yet, Mr. King replied. But he suspects the news on that front is not good.

“It’s my understanding that will be (up) substantially, I’m talking about $800,000 more than the $400,000 (increase) recommendation that is before you,” Mr. King said.

“That‘s a $1.2 million increase. That’s more of an increase than we have new revenue in the budget.”

Board member Shana Shufelt asked about the additional $1.6 million that Westport is projected to receive from the just-passed federal stimulus bill. “Do we know yet how we can spend that?”

They have not yet received a definite amount or rules for its use, Mr. King replied, “but in any case, those are one-time funds and it will have to be Covid-related.”

Several on the board said they were hesitant to approved the budget as is and send it along to the Budget Committee.

“Without the school money — that’s a big piece that has to be resolved one way or another,” Chairman Richard Brewer said. “But that’s the nature of these budgets and we have to meet timelines.”

Asked for their thoughts, Budget Committee leaders attending the remote meeting urged the board to delay for at least for a couple of weeks in hopes of hearing from the School Committee.

If the board has any feeling that it might want to revise the $400,000 school increase that appears in the budget prepared by Mr. King, “I would suggest holding off and putting in a number you feel comfortable with,” said Finance Committee Vice Chairwoman Karen Raus.

“I don’t think it’s reasonable to ask the Finance Committee to then change the school number. I prefer that you wait to submit a budget until it’s more appropriate and realistic rather than submit this budget tonight.”

She also expressed misgivings about the budget’s revenue projections which she said look “higher than we anticipate.”

Finance Committee Chairman Gary Carreiro agreed.

Nearby towns similar to Westport are projecting a 9 to 15 percent decline in revenues from such sources as auto excise taxes, room and meal taxes and more. He said he sees no reason to expect anything different in Westport.

“The budget presented by the town administrator shows an increase in revenue and I just don’t see that happening,” Mr. Carreiro said.
“We knew this was going to be a difficult year going in.”

Mr. King said the optimistic revenue numbers were supported by a belief that the economy will improve during the next fiscal year as the nation and town emerge from Covid-19 shutdowns.

Mr. Carreiro doubted that. 

The town, he said, is looking at a $3.6 million shortfall now — “I don‘t see how we can make up such a substantial amount this fiscal year and on top of that in fiscal 2022.”

Mr. Carreiro proposed that the Budget Committee and selectmen work together during the next couple of weeks before the selectmen approve a budget.

Board of Selectmen members endorsed that plan.

“I’m not as concerned with the revenue numbers as Mr. Carreiro is,” Ms. Shufelt said, “but I’m definitely concerned that we’re not anywhere near balanced once you put in the School Department request.”

In related budget news, Mr. King said the budget he presented does not include hoped-for positions in the Highway Department and Planning Department.

Town Meeting set for June 12

Weather permitting, Westport’s Town Meeting will be held at 9 am on Saturday, June 12, selectmen voted at last week’s meeting. The move from May will help the town deal with delayed budget numbers due to Covid-19 but does not push the meeting back beyond the close of the fiscal year as happened last year, said Mr. King who recommended the date.

The meeting will again be held outdoors behind the junior/senior high school.

That date also provides a couple of weeks within June for postponement in case of rain and does not interfere with high school graduation.

The board also voted its approval of a list of warrant items and voted unanimously to close the warrant to further late articles.

In addition to the annual town budget, the list includes articles that:

• Seek to combine the positions of tax collector and town treasurer. That action would follow up on a scheduled April election vote that would change the tax collector position from elected to appointed (as has already been done with the treasurer job).

• A list of changes to the town zoning code proposed by the Planning Board that cover  matters including marijuana and flood plain regulations. Some of these were cut from last year’s Town Meeting warrant in the interest of brevity.

• A change from the title ‘Board of Selectmen’ to ‘Select Board.’

There was brief discussion about whether to close the warrant or to hold off to allow more time for any possible petition articles.

Board member Brian Valcourt argued in favor of closing the warrant, saying it might be difficult to complete the meeting in a single day if more articles are added to an already full warrant. The vote to close was unanimous.