2002-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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2002 Activities 2003 Outlook (and beyond) - >E " The town was able to"hold the line on spending" We will continue to maintain a proactive role in in preparing and executing the FY03 budget.Revenues town budget formulation and work toward fostering were up about 2% and outlays rose a modest 3%. the "zero-based" budget concept of prioritizing needs While attempts at a hiring freeze were not totally suc- and wants. ,fel cessful, level funding of operating expenses and tight control of capital expenditures kept the budget in bal- Holding the line on spending must include hold a ance. We should be able to accommodate expected ing the line on personnel costs as well. FINCOM will reductions in state aid without ending FY03 in deficit. work with the Board of Selectmen and department managers to reduce the rate of growth of employment 1 We strove to achieve "zero-based"budget think- and compensation. An effort to curtail spiraling costs r ing among department managers by encouraging pri- of indirect benefits is also necessary,focusing on med- f j' oritizing "needs" and "wants". Rather than arbitrarily ical insurance in particular. 1 assuming funding from year to year will simply r increase by a given percentage of prior years' costs, Depending upon the finalization of the Charter managers should maintain a current,flexible agenda of Commission's recommendations, FINCOM will sug. operations. That way, if a financially lean years are gest various departmental reorganization matrices with anticipated, such as expected for FY04 and FY05, a goal of greater overall efficiency in town govern- managers can identify well in advance those functions ment. which can be reduced or suspended. Notes: Rather than act as arbiters in reviewing and rec- (1) Analysis of Available Revenues (Revised 1/31/03) ommending action on departments' annual funding (2) Annual Town Reports and data from Town Clerk requests, Finance Committee liaisons have offered to (3)Tax Collector/Treasurer Budget Submission for perform an advocacy role in assisting departments to FY04 prioritize needs and wants and to defend those (4) Analysis of Available Revenues(Revised 1/31/03) requests before the FINCOM as a body. To be effec- tive,the process requires frequent and open commum- Carlton F. Meredith, Chairman cation among liaisons and principals. James Morgan, Vice Chairman i Kathleen Lynch, Clerk It has so far produced mixed results. Dean Arden �I Jeffrey Arnold Frederic Blythe Theresa Cook ,I I 10 1