During a special meeting on Thursday night, April 23, members of the Barrington Town Council offered municipal leaders an opportunity to explain how proposed budget amendments would impact their departments, if they were approved by voters.

Officials from public works, police, fire, planning, and finance departments spoke about possible layoffs or deferred maintenance or other remedies they may need to explore if Barrington residents approve the nearly three dozen budget amendments that had been filed with the town clerk’s office as of Thursday afternoon.

The amendments range from a request to add $278,100 to the school department’s $3 million budget increase, to a request to reduce the town’s donation to Flower Power to $400 for the hanging baskets along County Road, “because charitable contributions are personal choices.”

Barrington resident Janine Wolf submitted more than two dozen of the budget amendments — if taxpayers vote through all the proposed budget reductions, they would reduce the total municipal budget increase by about $300,000. The proposed municipal budget calls for a $1 million increase.

Councilor Jordan Jancosek asked what would be cut from the DPW if the proposed amendments were passed — the petitions call for a few line items in the DPW budget to be reduced.

Barrington Department of Public Works Director Alan Corvi said the DPW was already reducing its staff by one position. Corvi added that the DPW was having a difficult time attracting new applicants for jobs — he cited pay as a reason, stating that a starting salary for a DPW employee with a CDL drivers license was a little more than $49,000. Corvi said the DPW has employees making between $49,000 and $70,000 and that many of the workers have second jobs or third jobs. He said news of the proposed budget amendments potentially impacting the DPW affected the workers’ morale. He said his department did a great job in the recent blizzard and with the July 3 wind storm cleanup. 

Corvi said that he would have to discuss if the proposed reductions — they total around $79,000 — would result in a layoff or something else. He also spoke about being over budget with street lights and vehicle parts.  

Barrington Fire Department Chief Gerald Bessette told councilors that he felt like the amendments singled out his department. He said in his 23 years with the department there has not been one single grievance filed by the firefighters union. He said he has great cooperation from the firefighters. Bessette said he was baffled by the proposed amendments. He also said that he had already refrained from requesting certain increases in the budget. The fire chief spoke about the department’s vehicles and how only one is new enough to be under warranty. He also said the department receives great feedback from the community — a bulletin board full of thank you notes. 

“If I have a heart attack I want to be in Barrington… I know what these guys can do,” Chief Bessette said. 

Town planner Herb Durfee addressed the proposed amendments that were filed for the planning, building, resiliency department. He said the possible reduction would jeopardize the revenue raised through building permits and inspections. He later added that the cuts would affect the operational performance of his department. 

Barrington Police Captain Kevin Igoe addressed the amendment that called for a $10,000 reduction to the “computer services” line item in the police department budget. Captain Igoe explained that a records system was quite old and the department needed to update to a new system. He also said the police department was very lean — he added “We are a lean town.”

Finance director Maryanne Crawford spoke also. Her comments included news about the town’s bond rating staying at the highest level. 

Members of the council shared concerns about the amendments also. Kerry O’Neill said he was nervous that residents will not have the necessary information when they vote on the proposed amendments. He asked if there could be additional language added to the ballots. Town solicitor Peter Skwirz said the town could print some type of information booklet to send to taxpayers. 

O’Neill also said that when he voted yes for the $250 million school construction bond he was aware that his taxes would increase. He said that it had been suggested that officials had an obligation to tighten their fiscal belts in light of the bond.

“That’s not how I voted,” O’Neill said, adding that by voting for the school project he was not voting to take things away from the town. 

Barrington Town Council President Braxton Cloutier said the council was not going to submit any budget amendments, and that they had already made their budget decisions. 

Public comments

Two Barrington residents responded to the comments shared during the council meeting. 

Tom Rimoshytus said Barrington has added programs and employees over the past few years. He said the budget amendments proposed by residents are not because people want services cut. He said taxes are too high in town, and the budget approval process limits how residents can impact the budget. 

Rimoshytus also said there are line items in the existing budget with $500,000 that are not being used. He said that money could be used to off-set any potential reductions. 

He spoke about comments shared by the school committee during a recent meeting, calling them “greedy, greedy, greedy.”

“You’re killing us. You’re going to see a lot of people leave town,” Rimoshytus said. 

He then spoke directly to O’Neill, asking him if his family plans to stay in Barrington after his last child graduates from high school. Rimoshytus said a lot of people want to stay in town and the taxes are hurting those people. 

Janine Wolf defended her proposed amendments. She said even if all of her proposed amendments were passed, nearly all of the requested budget increase would remain intact. 

“What is the point of this theater?” Wolf asked councilors. 

She said she felt bad for the department heads who were asked to attend the meeting and speak, adding that there will plenty of money for their budgets. 

She referred to town officials’ comments as “pearl clutching” and added “We’re not idiots. It needs to stop.”

Wolf said this town’s government is the taxpayers’ government, and that taxpayers have every right to restrict the size of their government. 

“It is my earnest hope that this town council will sharpen its pencil and find out what is essential to this town…” Wolf said.

She said Barrington’s municipal budget finishes each year with a surplus — year after year after year.