Windham Town Discusses Budget

WINDHAM - As sure as leaves fall in the fall, budget time has arrived in the town of Windham, causing government leaders to search for ways to contain costs without cutting corners.

It will be a difficult task as town board members, at a meeting last week, set a budget workshop for October 6, having received the wish lists from all department heads, paving the way for possible passage in November.

The pecuniary prognosis is “scary,” said town supervisor and chief budget officer Thomas Hoyt, facing fiscal forces beyond local control.

“We have a very responsible department team,” Hoyt says. “They don’t request something not essential to the community.

“But it will be a work in progress,” staying within the 2 percent tax cap increase limits mandated by the State, the supervisor noted.

“Everything is going up for the town, just like for everybody else,” Hoyt says. “Heath insurance is up fifteen percent, Retirement is up.

“Fuel expenses for our highway trucks and ambulance are up substantially and so are electric charges. I don’t know if we can stay within the cap.

“We will do our due diligence, looking over the [proposed] budget line-by-line,” Hoyt says, holding a public hearing after all the gorgeous autumn leaves have fallen (without charging taxpayers a penny for the show).

Meanwhile, highway superintendent BJ Murray and his crew are saving taxpayers “tens of thousands of dollars,” says Hoyt, and police chief Richard Selner continues to keep his agency shipshape.

Murray, in a report to board members, gave an update on the repainting of the east wall of the Centre Church, home to the public library.

The job is being undertaken by one or two workers amidst their regular duties as the seasonal schedule allows, according to Murray.

Bringing in an outside contractor would mean paying prevailing wage, a much more exorbitant rate with no discernible difference when done, planning to attack the west wall next year.

The in-house efforts are well-timed with winter road sand-and-salt materials having risen $30 per ton, Murray said. And the efforts are traditional.

Supervisor Hoyt noted one example of ex-crewman Mark Smith installing a new hot air furnace some years ago, sparing citizens sizable greenbacks.

Selner, in a report to government officials, said, “I would like to start out by thanking the town board for all the cooperation that was needed to renovate the new station,” on the municipal hall ground floor.

“Since I started three years ago, I have been bringing the WPD to a professional standard that is needed in today’s day and age.

“I have hired professional police officers that have retired from other agencies that bring a wealth of knowledge and resources needed to solve crimes and assist the people of Windham,” said Selner.

“The incidents we used to turn over to other agencies we are now handling. Other agencies and the people in the town of Windham have noticed the difference,” with two fulltime officers among the ranks.

And with autumn being the season of municipal dollars and cents, Selner said, “running the police department is expensive and certain State and federal mandates force us to spend money…to comply.

“Money is always the main issue and I will continue to save where I can, but your help is also needed to keep the police department going,” said Selner, noting he has applied for a $100,000 grant to aid the cause.