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Date: 5/1/2023
SOUTHAMPTON — The Southampton Select Board will put forth an almost $19 million budget and request an additional $332,000 as part of an override to fully fund the town for the next fiscal year.
Town Administrator Ed Gibson called the proposed budget, with the override included, a “balanced budget” but cautioned that if the override doesn’t pass, that would mean adjusting the priorities of the budget. The additional $332,000 is mostly focused on money for public safety like the Police and Fire departments.
Select Board Chair Christine Fowles suggested that the public may need more information such as a handout for the Town Meeting on May 9 “so the people know what this is all about.”
The board also neared finalizing the warrant for May’s Town Meeting. This year’s warrant includes 31 articles, ranging from transferring money to cover unexpected costs from the FY23 budget to larger fund moves and requests for capital projects.
Among the articles will be one looking to establish a municipal light plant and one to build a footbridge at Manhan Meadows.
One article with special meaning to the town would be the creation of Maddie’s Magical Playground, an inclusive playground in memory of 8-year-old Maddie Schmidt who passed away on December 31, 2022.
The article would appropriate $241,000 from the Community Preservation Committee account to build the playground which would have wheelchair ramps and paths and be built at Labrie Field.
ARPA funds
As the town nears the end of its ARPA funds, the board looked carefully at a few remaining requests. It did approve $4,470 for Green Communities to work on different grant projects. It also allocated $3,600 for Canal Bowling Lanes to develop a new website, making it easier for customers to reserve lanes, book parties and keep track of bowling league information.
The board did not take any action on a request from the Board of Health for funds for extended COVID-19 hours and does not anticipate approving this in the future. Several members of the board noted that the COVID-19 emergency is ending.
It also did not take action on another request from Canal Bowling Lanes for nearly $20,000 to replace an electric sign that had been destroyed two years ago. The board noted the state of change that the bowling alley currently is in as it looks for a buyer.