Board of Selectmen
Joint Meeting
w/School Committee and Finance Committee
A joint meeting of the Board
of Selectmen, School Committee, and Finance Committee was called to order by
Chairman Charles Ampagoomian at
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by those present.
Chairman Ampagoomian reminded the folks in the
audience to remain quiet when committee members are speaking.
Town Manager Theodore Kozak presented his recommendations for the FY ’08 Budget to the Finance Committee, School
Committee, Board of Selectmen and residents of Northbridge. With that said, he was recommending the following
budgets be reduced to zero for FY ’08:
Council on Aging [reduced just over 50%], Library, Playground &
Recreation, Historical Commission, Building, Planning & Construction
Committee, Civil Defense, Memorials, and Recycling Committee. He also mentioned the cuts that would be made
to the Departments in Town such as; Public Safety, Public Works, and the
General Government.
Denis
Latour,
Superintendent
Paul Soojian presented his recommendations for the FY ’08 School Budget. That said, he mentioned the layoffs,
reductions and cuts that would take place should the override not pass.
Selectman
Audette asked Superintendent Soojian when the last time the School Department
made any cuts. Superintendent Soojian
mentioned they had positions this year they never filled, such as a Guidance
Counselor and several other positions.
Selectman Audette mentioned all the positions in Town that weren’t
filled because the money went to the School Department. Selectman Audette mentioned that if a one
million dollar override can’t pass how does the School Department think a four
or five million dollar override is going to pass here in Northbridge.
Superintendent
Soojian pointed out a mistake on the Town’s budget sheet and Town Manager Kozak
mentioned that he mistakenly left out the code enforcement’s salary.
After
a lengthy discussion between committee members, residents in Town spoke on
behalf of the override and indicated how low our tax rate is and if residents
in Town want to maintain the level of services they have come to enjoy then they
will support the override.
Mr.
Salvatore D’Amato, Finance Committee Member, questioned Superintendent
Soojian’s numbers. That said, he
mentioned that the school is looking for a $6.1 million dollar increase in
appropriations. Superintendent Soojian
defended his present numbers.
Chairman
Ampagoomian informed the Committees and residents in Town that public forums
would be held to discuss the override and where the money will go if it passes
and what will be cut should it not pass.
A
motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Audette to adjourn the meeting.
Meeting Adjourned:
Respectfully
submitted,
dg/