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Finance Committee Chair presents difficult choices to board

By Levon Kinney

Correspondent



WILBRAHAM - Finance Committee Chairman Victor Arga presented some difficult choices in the upcoming future for the Board of Selectmen.

Arga told Selectmen David Barry and Patrick Brady where he thought the 2008 fiscal budget was heading.

"The budget you'll see will have a higher growth than what Bill left," explained Arga.

Arga was referring to the budget drafted by Town Administrator William Fogarty who left office at the beginning of 2007.

"Around $400,000 gets rolled over to the next year," Arga said. "This year we will only see a $20,000 roll over."

Barry asked Arga if the town revenue was higher than expected why won't the roll over increase. Arga replied that because expenses were growing the budget will increase more than the normal 2 percent, so the numbers would have no significant change.

"If we didn't have to put any money into the stabilization funds," Arga said. "And if we were to hold to the 2 percent there would be enough to cover all expenses. We could do this if we put half as much money into the funds and if we look for ways to decrease things like non-salary wages."

Brady proposed to put a freeze on hiring any new employees until the Selectmen reviewed Argas' revised budget. Barry was open to that but did not want to interrupt the search for a full time town administrator.

"I think we should meet with the Finance Committee sometime in February," Barry said. "Until then we should not hire any new employees, but I wish to make it clear we are not going to interrupt the search for a new administrator or the two police officers who are being interviewed now."

***

The town's polling stations are moving to Minnechaug Regional High School. Town Clerk Beverly Litchfield went before the Selectmen for their approval.

"I have met with Superintendent Gagiarducci," Litchfield said. "He has been very helpful and is willing to accommodate us in the high school."

Litchfield explained that it is very difficult for the principals of the elementary schools to keep the building secure when there is a local or national election. This past year the schools held an in-service day for the election in November.

"There are many seniors who walk to their polling stations," Litchfield added. "The Senior Center has donated a bus to drive them to the high school. This will affect every voter in town and I would like them all to be involved in this transition."

Between parking, staffing and storage Litchfield said the town will save $7,800. With the savings, greeters will be able to man the entrances and will direct the voters into a designated line for their precinct.

"The state controls the voting precincts in the town," Litchfield said. "We will still divide voters this way to control the length of lines."

***

Technology Committee candidate Pawel Widor was approved unanimously by the Selectmen. Widor is an immigrant from Poland who moved to Ludlow in his junior year of high school.

"Tell us about how you came to Wilbraham and heard of the committee?" Barry asked.

"I graduated from UMASS with a degree in finance," Widor told the selectmen. "I currently work at Mass Mutual maintaining infrastructure systems. Electronics is my hobby and I heard about the committee from a friend."

Widor was voted to a term ending in May of this year, he will be reinstated at the time of the town meeting.

***

Albert Bessette Jr. from Verizon and Lisa Jacinski of National Grid proposed three utility poles to be installed on the west side of Stony Hill Road.

"To keep our cables in the public way we need to cross the street," Bessette explained. Their isn't enough room and the existing poles need to be supported by these additional ones."

Bessette added that it will take a few weeks to receive all the permits and the time of installation is expected to be in late March or early April.