http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/View/9737 (PDF)
A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2013. The second budget review will begin at 5:30 PM on Thursday, November 14, 2013. The third budget review will begin at 5:30 PM on Monday, November 18, 2013. A second public hearing and Budget Adoption will be during the regular Commission meeting on December 10, 2013.
The first budget review video is available online here.
Update 11:01 PM The deer culling debate starts at the 2:58:30 mark of the video. I did not attend the first budget review for that very reason. Spoiler alert: Dave Brumfield will vote against marksmen in the community. Kristen was very disappointed to hear that. Knowing Kristen, she will have her supporters at Tuesday's public hearing to speak in favor of culling. Please watch Kristen, Matt, and Dave discuss this issue for fifteen minutes or so. Matt, Kelly, and Dave would like to have a second aerial survey repeated at the same time as last year, to compare apple to apples. Are the deer moving on? Are the numbers increasing substantially? We won't know until we have a second survey. Kristen was not in favor of that for some reason. John Bendel was not at the budget review. Remember, Kelly has been suggesting a nonlethal sterilization program from the beginning.
Thank you, Dave for taking that position. Matt, thanks for pressing for a second survey. Kelly, thanks for all your research to find a safe alternative to culling.
Update November 11, 2013 8:04 AM Page 69 and 70 of the PDF, or page 64 and 65 of the Budget show $1,050,000 for turfing and lighting Wildcat and Middle Fields. It is line item 23 and below the line on The Manager's Recommended Budget. The line is drawn under item number 19. At Tuesday's meeting, we will also have the sports people asking to move line item 23 above the line. Just months before, they were willing to pay part of the project through their funds and signage revenue. Now, we get to pay it all with our tax dollars.
Another way, proposed by the Manager is on page 3 and 4 of the Budget.
Update 11:01 PM The deer culling debate starts at the 2:58:30 mark of the video. I did not attend the first budget review for that very reason. Spoiler alert: Dave Brumfield will vote against marksmen in the community. Kristen was very disappointed to hear that. Knowing Kristen, she will have her supporters at Tuesday's public hearing to speak in favor of culling. Please watch Kristen, Matt, and Dave discuss this issue for fifteen minutes or so. Matt, Kelly, and Dave would like to have a second aerial survey repeated at the same time as last year, to compare apple to apples. Are the deer moving on? Are the numbers increasing substantially? We won't know until we have a second survey. Kristen was not in favor of that for some reason. John Bendel was not at the budget review. Remember, Kelly has been suggesting a nonlethal sterilization program from the beginning.
Thank you, Dave for taking that position. Matt, thanks for pressing for a second survey. Kelly, thanks for all your research to find a safe alternative to culling.
Update November 11, 2013 8:04 AM Page 69 and 70 of the PDF, or page 64 and 65 of the Budget show $1,050,000 for turfing and lighting Wildcat and Middle Fields. It is line item 23 and below the line on The Manager's Recommended Budget. The line is drawn under item number 19. At Tuesday's meeting, we will also have the sports people asking to move line item 23 above the line. Just months before, they were willing to pay part of the project through their funds and signage revenue. Now, we get to pay it all with our tax dollars.
Another way, proposed by the Manager is on page 3 and 4 of the Budget.
"The Commission may also want to consider expanding the size of the issue to reduce the size of the backlog of capital projects for major projects such as the development of athletic facilities, park master plan improvements, and other priority projects."In other words, increase the bond issue to include artificial turf.
15 comments:
After the municipal swimming bid I have no confidence in municipal budgets.
Page 69 and 70 of the PDF, or page 64 and 65 of the Budget show $1,050,000 for turfing and lighting Wildcat and Middle Fields. It is line item 23 and below the line on The Manager's Recommended Budget. The line is drawn under item number 19. At Tuesday's meeting, we will also have the sports people asking to move line item 23 above the line. Just months before, they were willing to pay part of the project through their funds and signage revenue. Now, we get to pay it all with our tax dollars.
Elaine
Another way, proposed by the Manager is on page 3 and 4 of the Budget.
"The Commission may also want to consider
expanding the size of the issue to reduce the size
of the backlog of capital projects for major projects such as the development of athletic facilities, park master plan improvements, and other priority projects."
In other words, increase the bond issue to include artificial turf.
Elaine
Of course! It's always the sports people who get what they want! I'm surprised they didn't include money for a new polo field. We certainly have the horses asses for it.
Apparently a $30+ million sports facility upgrade/building/pool with 3 gyms is not enough for the sports community.
Just a few years ago they suggested they would contribute $8 million.
Today they are down to zero.
Although, Elaine, I do believe I saw one sign at the softball field over the weekend. Revenue for that sign will pay for the turf alone! (If the contract is for 100 years);>
What happened to the $829,000 surplus from 2012 only revealed after the Maher Duessel audit of 2012 released in May, 2013 ?
Few realize that the 2012 budget "required" a 0.67 mill increase, the increased tax revenue from which ended up becoming the surplus ! Surprised ?
Also, few realize that the 2012 millage was really increased to provide a higher floor or revenue-neutral base tax revenue for the 2012 reassessments that went into effect in 2013. And the Muni was also able to garner an additional 5% windfall revenue increase on top of that for 2013.
11:00 PM, you're absolutely correct. Have no trust in the budget makers, appointed or elected. They're all a bunch of connivers.
Ask the connivers what the 2013 year-end estimate is for the 2013 budget. It's November, they have the information. How much of a surplus is there likely to be for 2013 ?
How many of you know what Ordinances passed on Dec. 20, 2011 specify about how surpluses can and cannot be used or applied ?
How much do you want to bet the "We're so concerned about the environment that we must count how many trash cans you put out" Environmental Sustainabilty Board suddenly becomes deaf, dumb and blind?
There will be no concern about eliminating oxygen-producing grasses, energy consuming, carbon producing lights and landfill stuffing plastic turf.
The environment can suddenly go to hell... Franklin, Brumfield and Bendel want their plastic sports fields... paid for of course by everybody else.
I think one of the commissioners proposed an ordinance to return unassigned funds to the residents or to reduce the taxes by that amount. I do not think it was well accepted by the rest of the commissioners.
8:55 AM, i have been trying to find that ordinance, but the municipality minutes and agendas don't go back that far. The links have changed so anything that is on my website under the podcasts are obsolete. Google doesn't help either. Do you happen to know where I could find it so that I could post it here?
Elaine
Thanks goes to the reader who sent me the Ordinance.
Elaine
Why don't we see this here? Donate to the turf field fund
Elaine
Are you kidding, the sports association that is basically demanding taxpayers foot the bill for THEIR desired turf coming up with money (that coincidently they keep promising but never deliver) to help fulfill their wish list-- it'll never happen.
By the way once we build this artificial field that'll be lit well into the night... who pays the electric bill, month after month, year after year?
Has anyone ever seen their electric rates go down?
I wonder if in 7 to 15 years that ESB member that counts his neighbors' trash cans will sit down with ex-commissioner Linfante and calculate how many cubic yards of lanfill space our plastic and ground rubber tire artificial turf will take up.
I mean, gee if my Disani water bottles are a problem, shouldn't several tons of artificial turf waste be one too?
OK, I wonder if I can get on the Environmental Sustainibility Board, because I do have a plan.
In 7 or so years when the Middle/Wildcat artificial turf wears out, each MTL household will be required to buy an extra PAYT recycling can.
Which they'll take to Mellon/Wildcat and cut out and scoop up enough turf and rubber pellets to fill their can.
They take it home and it gets picked up by WM.
No fuss, no muss for the municipal offices and they completely avoid a tax hike which residents will love!
See, its not hard being green.
With each new budget, is the spending from the previous year illustrated and connected to the original budget? It seems to me that there are a lot of "placeholders" and I'd like to know what happens with them.
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