The Plympton Finance Committee is discussing a Proposition 2 ½ override to address budget concerns and fund essential services. During a Feb. 10 joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen, officials discussed the possibility of increasing the town’s levy limit to meet financial needs.
Town Counsel Gregg Corbo provided an overview of override and debt exclusion options.
“An override is something where you raise your levy limit permanently for either a particular purpose or for general municipal purposes,” Corbo said. “The primary difference between an override and a debt exclusion is that the debt exclusion only stays on the tax rate until the debt is paid off.”
Only selectmen can call for an override vote.
Officials are grappling with a tight budget situation. The town’s current budget has only $7,343 available under the maximum allowable limit, while using some free cash and possibly general stabilization funds to balance the budget. This assumes budget requests were funded as they came in, and leaving only $450,000 for Town Meeting articles.
“We need to do something,” Finance Committee member Marilyn Browne stated. When discussing using over $800K in one-time funds to meet the operating budget she added, “we don’t want to do that anymore. We can avoid that. It’s just not very smart. It’s not fiscally sound.”
The Finance Committee is exploring various options to address the shortfall. These include potential cuts to department budgets and the use of reserve funds. However, officials expressed concern about relying too heavily on one-time funding sources.
“You don’t really want to draw from stabilization to fund your budget shortfall, or the reserve fund,” Corbo advised.
The school budget is a significant factor in the town’s financial considerations. Officials discussed potential increases in the Silver Lake assessment, which could range from $600,000 to $783,000. However, there is hope that this number could be reduced through various funding sources and reimbursements.
Silver Lake is also awaiting certification of the Excess and Deficiency (E&D) Fund, which could provide additional relief. “Depending on how E&D comes up, depending on the Circuit Breaker number, and depending on the 240 grant, there is a chance we could potentially get the assessment for Silver Lake to a net zero increase over last year,” School Committee member Jason Fraser stated.
Town officials anticipate receiving final cost estimates for the new fire station project by mid-April. The project’s design includes a wood frame building, potentially minimizing the impact of steel tariffs.
The fire station project has been designed with cost considerations in mind. Officials noted that the building will be primarily wood-framed, which could help mitigate the impact of potential steel tariffs.
“We don’t have a ton of steel in the station. It’s mostly going to be a wood frame building,” Wilhelmsen explained.
The town is also making progress on water infrastructure. A mega well producing 109 gallons per minute has been successfully tested. However, two smaller wells have experienced collapses and require further investigation.
If the town decides to pursue an override or debt exclusion, officials will need to navigate complex legal requirements. Corbo cautioned about limitations on using public resources to advocate for or against ballot questions.
“There is a campaign finance law in Massachusetts, and the requirements of the state ethics commission limit the extent to which public funds can be used or public resources can be used to advocate for or against a valid question, including an override or a debt exclusion,” he said.
The Finance Committee plans to reconvene after gathering more information on potential funding sources and budget adjustments. They aim to develop a comprehensive plan before presenting options to the public.
Officials stressed the importance of public outreach and education if they decide to pursue an override or debt exclusion. “It does take a fair amount of outreach,” Corbo noted. “You know, all the departments kind of have to, you know, work together.”
The town faces critical decisions in the coming weeks as it balances the need for essential services with the financial constraints of Proposition 2 ½ . The outcome of these discussions will have significant implications for the town’s budget and services in the upcoming fiscal year.