GLOCESTER – Glocester’s town budget referendum passed with flying colors with one of the biggest voter turnouts in recent years. All three questions were approved. In anticipation of a larger than average turnout, Town Clerk Jean Fecteau ordered 1,000 ballots, the most she has ordered in years. The total number of voters was 687. Normally, a little over 200 voters turn out for budget referendum questions.
Question one was the request for a total of $34,567,000, an increase of $380,938, the maximum allowed according to state regulations, which prohibit more than a 4 percent increase each year. That question was approved 491 to 196.
Question two requested an appropriation of $151,000 from the school capital improvement fund to the local school fund balance to cover the school’s deficit. Those funds will come from surplus and will not increase taxes following a vote to approve the question 540 to 138.
The third question requested approval to transfer $75,000 from surplus for grant matching funds. That was approved 521 to 165.
“I think it was a good budget,” said Town Council President William Worthy.
While there were major concerns with local elementary schools, Worthy praised Supt. Renee Palazzo for finding money in this year’s budget to reduce the district’s deficit to a workable number. Originally, the deficit was projected to be $357,495, which the school department was able to reduce to $151,000 by transferring funds from a reserve account to cover part of the deficit. The schools received a 6 percent increase, while municipal side received a 2 percent increase.
“Our town side was lean,” said Worthy. “There were no extras on the municipal budget.”
Worthy said that parents got involved because of concerns about cuts at the local level. Some staff layoff notices had already been sent out in anticipation of possibilities. The school committee still has to find ways to reduce expenditures moving forward.
“Their work is not over,” said Worthy.
One of the problems with such referendum votes, he added, is the lack of information or the flow of misinformation regarding budgets and expenditures. Most people don’t understand how budgets work, and what the demands, responsibilities and restrictions are, he said. He urged voters to get involved in the process from the beginning, possibly by volunteering on the budget board so they can know what is involved.
“The budget makes sense to people involved, but not to people not involved,” said Worthy. “People who want a budget to fail don’t understand the repercussions.”
The work includes not only reducing expenditures and eliminating jobs and services both in schools and municipal areas, but also putting a hold on other scheduled projects and events. As a result of the reduction in the current municipal budget, some planned improvements will have to be put on hold.
“No roads are getting fixed this year,” Worthy said. “What extra money there was went to schools.”
