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EXPLANATION OF LINE ITEM CHANGES OF GREATER T>IAN,0,000
<br />AND FINANCE'COMMIt' " COMMENTS.
<br />Footnote:; The Mashpee Town Charter, approved by the voters in 2004, eliminated paid medical health
<br />benefits to any municipal officials elected after June 30, 2004, but "grandfathered" paid health benefits
<br />for those officials who continued to serve in their elected offices for as long as they remained in those
<br />offices. For the record, the Town Moderator and two Selectmen, who were elected prior to June 30,
<br />2004, and who have continued in office, continue to receive health benefits paid, in part, by the
<br />municipality. The annual cost is $41,958.
<br />Budget Note >Y Board of Selectmen/ Office of the Town Manager: (- $99,379)
<br />In the latter part of 2009, Rene Read, who served as the Assistant Town Manager, resigned the position to
<br />take a position in another community. In recognition of this year's difficult budget, while the position
<br />remains as part of the organizational structure, the Town Manager has recommended not funding this
<br />position in this fiscal year. The cost reductions in this line item reflect that decision.
<br />Budget Note 2. Total General Government Appropriations: (- $106,303)
<br />The budget for the nine offices and departments of General Government reflect an overall cost decrease
<br />from the FY 2010 budget of $106,303, or 2.3%.
<br />Budget Note 3,;..DeDar"tnent of Public Works: (-,$165,480)
<br />The departmental cost reductions include $43,000 in temporary wages, $21,000 in departmental overtime
<br />and almost $100,000 in utility costs throughout the municipal facilities.
<br />Budget Note 4 ;Transfer Station &Recycling: (+ $55,737)
<br />The increased costs associated with the transfer station include the contract cost with the private transfer
<br />station operator and increased transportation costs of the town's solid waste from the regional transfer
<br />station at Otis to the SEMASS incinerator in Rochester. While the quantity of household waste brought
<br />to the transfer station has steadily declined over the past 6 years, in anticipation of substantial increases
<br />over the next 5 years for tipping fees and the disposal of household waste, attempts and proposals have
<br />been studied and proposed to further reduce the waste stream, including implementing a single stream
<br />recycling program to replace multi -separated recycling, and the conversion of the transfer station to a
<br />"pay as you throw" basis. The proposal also recommends the eventual conversion of the entire facility to
<br />a self-sustaining, enterprise basis, i.e., the income from the sale of stickers, disposal bags, and the
<br />revenues from recycled materials would completely off -set the cost of operating the transfer station and
<br />recycling facility. Currently 41 % of the cost of operating the transfer station is paid through property
<br />taxes. If successful, this proposal has the potential for significant cost savings and/or cost avoidances to
<br />the municipality in upcoming years.
<br />BudgeIt: Note 5: Total Maintenance of Public Properties Appropriations: (- $121,693)
<br />The increased cost of the contract to operate the transfer station, along with a 4% increase in trash hauling
<br />costs and the 12% increase in trash tipping fees at the regional transfer station have been more than off -set
<br />by the reductions in the expenses in the DPW Department, Town Hall maintenance costs, and reduced
<br />street lighting costs. The $121,693 over-all reduction in these appropriations equals 2.6%.
<br />Budget Note 6: Police Department: (- $73,825)
<br />The departmental cost reductions are a direct result of unfilled vacancies in the department including the
<br />Executive Officer position, two police officer positions and a dispatcher position. Collective bargaining
<br />negotiations have just concluded with departmental employees for fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010. A
<br />new round of negotiations will begin as of July 1.
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