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Date: 5/25/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – West Springfield City Council hosted four public hearings May 17 including the proposed fiscal year 2022 (FY22) budget.
Mayor William Reichelt’s recommended FY22 general fund budget totalled $105.4 million, a 3.35 percent increase over the FY21 appropriation of $102 million.
The budget accounts for the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions on May 29 as announced by Gov. Charlie Baker.
“Pools and playgrounds will be opening; everything will be coming back pre-pandemic. We added two positions in council, economic development, diversity and inclusion, as well as a narcotic sergeant to the Police Department to work during the day,” Reichelt said.
Reichelt said his budget proposal was “balanced, funding recurring operations through the use of recurring revenue sources” and “more closely resembles the FY20 budget than it does last year’s budget” with funding cuts from the previous year restored in FY22. These include recreational programs in the summer, seasonal help, Department of Public Works (DPW) essential work, and contractual increases for union groups.
He explained as part of the development process, he asked all departments to provide him with three scenarios for discussion – a 5 percent cut, level service, and level service with contractual salary increases.
“The goal of this endeavor was to determine what is truly required to provide our community with a quality service at an affordable price. Through this process we identified a number of items to be cut as well as a few worth adding to better manage the needs of the community while minimizing the overall impact to the bottom line,” Reichelt said.
Reichelt added schools, infrastructure, and public safety were prioritized in the budget. The school district makes up the largest portion of the budget at $46.3 million. Public safety accounts for $13.8 million and the DPW funding is a proposed $4.8 million.
“These three areas are critical to the high quality of life experienced in our community and will be brought back into focus as we come through this difficult year,” Reichelt said.
The mayor added the budget continues the town’s efforts to invest in its reserves with a $250,000 appropriation to the Stabilization Fund to ensure the balance is at least 10 percent of the total operating budget as well as $250,000 for the Other Post-Employment Benefits Trust Fund.
With regard to the capital budget, Reichelt stated they are purchasing a few vehicles for the town and putting $3 million overall with Chapter 90 and free cash toward street paving.
“There are a lot of streets getting paved throughout the summer and fall. We will also have a sidewalk maintenance program and everything else is pretty much getting back to business where we were before this pandemic set us back a year,” Reichelt said.
Hotel, motel, and meals taxes are other items also returning to the budget this year due to the economy opening back up.
The mayor also stated this is the sixth budget without a tax increase.
Councilors will discuss and vote on the budget at its June 7 meeting.
The council also conducted hearings on typical replacement projects for mainlines on Chaplin Street.
In question was a petition by Eversource Company of Massachusetts requesting permission to relocate poles, wires, cables, and fixtures along and across Chaplin Street, Prospect Avenue, Highland Avenue, Irving Street, Main Street, and Kings Highway and Westfield Street. Eversource also sought permission to lay and maintain underground conduits, manholes, cables, and wires in these areas in order to make connections with the poles and buildings for utility distribution.
Eversource also proposed cabinet installations on Chaplin Street, Prospect Avenue, Highland Avenue, Irving Street, Main Street, and Kings Highway and Westfield Street. These stainless steel utility cabinets with concrete foundations surrounded by four traffic posts send system pressure real-time data back to the gas control room to identify any potential issues that might occur at the regulator station.
Motions for all of the proposals were approved.
Town Clerk Otto Frizzell’s appointment was also extended for another three-year term during the meeting.
“I look forward to working with you all and serving West Springfield for another three years,” Frizzell said.