Pittsfield council to review budget Fuel costs, salaries blamed for increase

PITTSFIELD – Once the controversial renaming of three dozen town streets and roads is accomplished tonight, town councilors will begin the first in a series of 2006 budget workshops.

Pittsfield’s budget has dropped each of the last three years, but that will not be the case next year. The increase is minor, however, and even though the budget’s bottom line could be higher than this year’s, increased revenues will help balance that rise.

If the proposed budget is accepted, it will raise taxes on a $100,000 home by $3.

The 2006 proposal for both the operating and capital budgets is $2,453,764, which is $79,983 higher than this year’s, Town Manager Kathryn Ruth said Monday. Ruth is predicting a $74,900 increase in revenues, which will offset the increase, leaving only a .03 percent increase in the mill rate. The current rate is $24.40.

Ruth said the budget “is a result of continued tightening, but I think we are as tight as we are going to get.” She said the budget reflects a 2 percent salary increase for all employees. There will be no changes in the number of town employees nor any reductions in services. Ruth blamed the increase on spiraling fuel costs and salaries.

New for councilors to review this year is a sort-of “wish list,” items that department heads requested but were not included in the budget. These items will be analyzed for relevance and need and councilors may decide to add them.

One such request is for a floating employee, Ruth said, a skilled person who would rotate among the water, sewer, airport, cemetery, public works, transfer station and recycling, buildings and grounds, and town office departments. “This would be very valuable,” Ruth said. It would add $37,725 to the budget, which would add .23 of a mill.

After regular business of the council tonight, councilors will review the overall operating and capital budgets as well as all administrative budgets, including code enforcement. With the resignation of code enforcement officer Claude Rounds, it has been suggested the position be made part-time.

Regular business of the council will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers of the municipal building and includes:

. Accepting a loan of $13,000 from the Manson Park trustees to complete construction of a new garage and storage facility at the Mill Pond park project. The money will be reimbursed next spring when federal grant funds are released.

. Acting on bids for the 2005 tree removal program.

. Renewal of liquor and special amusement licenses for K.C. Investments, owner of Clippers restaurant on Main Street.