Local Columns
The budget and the storm…
By Robert G. Yandow
York Town Manager
Robert G. Yandow
As you read this some of you will be preparing to vote on May 19 and some of you will have already voted. For those of you who have not voted I ask you to take the following information into consideration.
The operating budget, as approved by the selectmen and the Budget Committee, represents an increase in spending of 3.38 percent. I believe this increase is both reasonable and necessary in order to continue delivering town services at our current levels.
I would like to point out that there is an error in the printing of Article 34. The article correctly states that the amount being requested for the maintenance of town buildings, grounds and beaches is $507,535; however, the article incorrectly states that a NO vote authorizes the previous year's appropriation of $407,835. The previous year's appropriation was, in fact, $474,835 NOT $407,835. It appears from the incorrect wording that we are requesting an increase of almost $100,000 when, in fact, we are requesting an increase of $32,700 which represents an increase of 6.8 percent. Unfortunately, a NO vote will result in a budget cut of almost $100,000 because of the wording of the article.
You will notice a series of articles related to drainage design and construction as well as the installation of culverts. All of these projects are necessary to address the ongoing drainage issues as well as to address damage from the Mother's Day storm of 2006. There is also an article, Article 75, which requests the sum of $450,000 for matching grant funds. We have applied for a $1.7 million grant from FEMA and if we are successful in obtaining the grant we will need to supply matching funds in an amount equal to 25 percent of the grant. It is important to note that the $450,000 would come from the town's fund balance monies and would not result in any additional cost to the taxpayers.
Article 5 requests funding for the Community Development Department. Although this is a new department, the funding request is simply based on a consolidation of the Planning and Code Enforcement budgets. GIS is included in the new department but is not included in the budget request as our GIS operation is funded thought a percentage of building permit fees. The concept of a Community Development Department was developed more from a management and efficiency perspective rather than a budgetary one.
The very last item on the ballot is Article 13 under the Special General Referendum. This article authorizes the establishment of the York Beach Tax Incremental Financing District. This article was approved by the voters in May 2006; however, due to a public hearing notice posting error, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development regulations require us to seek voter approval again. I ask that you approve this article once again.
Town crews continue to clean up from the Patriot's Day storm and we have started making repairs to the most severely damaged areas. The town sustained approximately $2 million in public damage, although that figure will probably increase as we complete damage assessments, particularly at Nubble Light.
We are well under way making repairs to the seawall at Long Sands Beach and to the sidewalks on Long Beach Avenue. With the financial assistance of the Federal Highway Administration we will be constructing concrete sidewalks in the areas that were damaged. Concrete is much stronger and will withstand storm surges much better.
The Federal Highway Administration is also assisting the town financially with the damage on Shore Road. We have begun the preliminary repairs and are working on the best way to construct the permanent repairs.
Finally, we sustained recent damage to the same areas on Route 91 that were previously damaged during the Mother's Day storm. The permanent repairs had not yet been completed due to the time it took to work out agreements with the Federal Highway Administration and the Maine Department of Transportation last fall, so they have agreed to additional short-term repairs. The final agreements, based on the most recent damage, will be completed in the near future. In the meantime, we will need to close sections of Route 91 for two to three days so we can get the necessary heavy equipment in to complete the preliminary repairs.
