Fiscal 2009 budget review process continues

YORK - The Budget Committee has spent the past two weeks examining municipal funding requests for the fiscal year ahead.

The town's operating budget for fiscal 2009 is proposed at $13.87 million, which represents a 4.2 percent increase in taxpayer impact, staying within the guidelines established by the town's Property Tax Task Force.

The municipal capital funding requests include $1.1 million for land for a new public safety facility, $6.475 million for a new town hall, $500,000 toward the York Land Trust's effort to purchase approximately 150 acres of open space at Highland Farm and $732,000 for major drainage improvements.

Town Manager Rob Yandow and Finance Director Jennie McCann attended the budget meetings, along with various department heads, answering questions about the budget as proposed.

Given financial concerns in the current year, Budget Committee member David Lincoln said, "I think we've got to look at every item in the budget and ask if we really need it."

Over multiple meetings, the Budget Committee asked questions on requests included in the budget as well as those that were omitted in order to meet the Tax Task Force recommendation.

"My feeling is this is a fairly barebones budget," committee member Charlie Steedman said during the town budget review. "It looks to me, from everything I've seen so far, that they've done a very good job of cutting back and cutting down to get to 4.2."

For example, funding for a fire safety inspector position was not included in the proposed budget. At the Budget Committee's request, York Beach Fire Chief David Bridges highlighted the ways an inspector could assist with managing the violations of life safety codes in many local establishments.

"This is an issue that really does need to be addressed," Bridges said.

York Fire Chief Chris Balentine echoed Bridges' concern about such violations as businesses not protected with smoke detectors.

"It would be a benefit to everybody concerned," he said.

While few residents spoke during the meetings, Richard Bartlett was one who raised the issue of funding for public safety, and urged support for it.

Among the capital items, the Budget Committee discussed the request of $500,000 from the York Land Trust to help leverage funding sources and grants to preserve approximately 150 acres of the Highland Farm property from development.

Steedman shared the history of the process to date to preserve the property, which reaches all the way to Boulter Pond, an integral part of the Kittery Water District and a supplier of water for some York residents as well. The property has also been identified as a wildlife corridor and would connect with lands already preserved as part of the Mount Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative, according to the trust.

With help from the Trust for Public Lands, negotiations began with the developer and the Planning Board approval process was put on hold.

"Through some really long, tough negotiations ... he finally agreed to sell it for $2.7 million," Steedman explained, adding the trust is working to assemble a variety of funding sources to fund the purchase. "The town of York would be adding a crucial piece here to allow the Land Trust to pull this off."

Steedman said he believes the town has one chance to preserve the property from being developed. Had the subdivisions gone forward, Steedman said, "The winner would have been the developer. The losers would have basically been the people of York - and anyone who treasures the York River and its upper reaches."

When it was time for the Recreation Department budget review, Director Mike Sullivan highlighted, among other things, the request for funding for the Mount Agamenticus coordinator position.

"In all my years of municipal government, I have never been more proud of an employee," he said of Robin Stanley's work to date in that position, noting that in the past eight years she has helped secure more than $300,000 in grants for the town.

The Budget Committee also heard from York Public Library Director Robert Waldman on a request for $47,000 for salary and benefits for a new full-time position - the first in seven years. With a consistent increase in use of the library and programming, Waldman said, one additional librarian would allow the staff to maintain the level of service local residents expect.

"We're seeking your unanimous support," he said. "It's very, very important to us."

Lin Napier, who serves as the Budget Committee's liaison to the library, told her fellow board members that Waldman is very conscientious about his budget.

"He has given his heart, soul and passion to this library. I know that if he didn't feel that this position was necessary, he wouldn't ask for it, because he is very conservative financially," she said.

The Budget Committee was scheduled to meet again on Feb. 21, and is expected to vote on the funding amounts requested on Feb. 28. A public hearing is currently scheduled for March 4 on the school and municipal budget requests, and the committee members will cast their preference votes, which serve as a guide to voters when they go to the polls, on March 6.