Great Barrington — Town Manager Mark Pruhenski presented his proposed budget for Fiscal 2023-2024 at a special joint Selectboard and Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 28. The meeting was the first of a series of four meetings for both boards to discuss and review the proposed Fiscal 2023-2024 budget. Residents will have a chance to give their input on the proposed budget at a public hearing on Wednesday, March 22, at 6 p.m. at Town Hall and Zoom.
Pruhenski is proposing a town operating budget of $14,738,633, an increase of $844,596, or 6.08 percent, from this fiscal year. “[The proposed budget] invests in our most important asset, which is our staff,” Pruhenski said. “We need to increase salaries in order to remain competitive, which is something you have heard me mention many times in recent years.”
Additional hires, raises, increases in department costs
According to the document outlining the proposed budget, Pruhenski is proposing the increase of several line items to accommodate for additional hires, raises, and increases in costs for departments.
For the town accountant line item, Pruhenski is proposing an increase of $34,398, or 21.51 percent, to fund the creation of an assistant accountant position. Previously, the position was a part-time financial clerk position. If approved, it would bring the town accountant line item from $159,880 budgeted for this fiscal year, to $194,278 for Fiscal 2023-2024.
For the Police Department, the department is asking to hire an additional patrol officer, who would start on November 1. In an email to The Berkshire Edge after the meeting, Police Chief Paul Storti wrote that four percent of the proposed increase in the department’s budget would be for collective bargaining. Another 2.02 percent of the department’s proposed increase would be for operational adjustments to the department’s budget, including the new hire. In total, the department is asking for a $112,299, or 6.02 percent increase, from $1,866,875 this fiscal year, to $1,979,174 in Fiscal 2023-2024.
Pruhenski is proposing the creation of a new director of information technology services for the second half of Fiscal 2023-2024, beginning on January 1. The creation of the position, along with the increase in costs for software licenses for the town, would increase the town’s technology budget by $72,135, or 26.33 percent, from $274,000 this fiscal year, to $346,135 for Fiscal 2023-2024.
For the fire department budget, Pruhenski is proposing a $114,893, or 15.87 percent increase, from $723,795 this fiscal year, to $838,688 in Fiscal 2023-2024. Pruhenski wrote that the majority of the proposed increases is in salaries for department members, with increases proposed for call firefighters, modest increases to full-time firefighter salaries, and the addition of a new firefighter position to begin on January 1.
Pruhenski is proposing an increase for the conservation budget line item by $18,736, or 59.96 percent, from $31,245 this fiscal year, to $49,981 in Fiscal 2023-2024. The proposed increase is a result of the increase in the hourly rate for the town’s Conservation Agent.
For the Department of Public Works line item, Pruhenski is proposing an increase of $134,321, or 7.22 percent, from $1,861,433 this fiscal year, to $1,995,754 in Fiscal 2023-2024. Pruhenski wrote that this is due to an increase in multiple costs, including street lights, contracted services, landfill and transfer station engineering, safety supplies, and costs for gasoline and diesel. Included in the proposed increase is a portion of the assistant DPW superintendent’s salary.
Capital requests by departments
Multiple capital requests are part of Pruhenski’s proposed Fiscal 2023-2024 budget.
Pruhenski is proposing $5,235,700 in street and bridge improvements for Fiscal 2023-2024. The proposal includes $3,193,200 in street, bridge, and culvert projects, with $2,787,200 of the projects funded by borrowing, and $406,000 funded by state Chapter 90 grants. Also included is $1,642,500 in sidewalk and path projects, with $350,000 funded by borrowing, and $1,292,500 funded by state Chapter 90 grants. Approximately $400,000 of the funds for the projects are proposed to be used for engineering services, which is to be funded by borrowing.
The Police Department is requesting $78,000 for tasers, $29,000 for firearms replacement, and $65,000 for a new police cruiser, with a total request of $172,000 that would be funded by a tax levy.
The Fire Department is asking for $44,000 in order to purchase a utlility vehicle, which would be funded by a tax levy.
The DPW is requesting multiple equipment purchases totalling $662,400, with $624,400 to be funded through borrowing. As part of their requests, the department is requesting the purchase of a loader for $293,200, three new trucks for $240,000, an excavator for $91,200, landscaping equipment for $20,000, and a ride-on leaf blower for $18,000.
As an additional part of the capital improvement requests, Pruhenski proposes $350,000, which would be funded by borrowing, to fund a project that would make utility poles ready to provide fiberoptic services to Housatonic.
Budget totals
Altogether, Pruhenski’s total proposed budget for Fiscal 2023-2024 is $40,323,082. The total amount includes $14,738,633 in the town operation budget, $19,939,489 for the Berkshire Hills Regional School District assessment, $2,831,982 for the town’s enterprise fund, $1,658,394 for special articles, $868,400 for capital projects not being paid through fund borrowing, and $286,184 in state assessments. Pruhenski noted that the proposed school assessment line item has increased by $992,889, or 5.2 percent, from this fiscal year.
As proposed in Pruhenski’s budget, the tax rate per $1,000 assessed value would go up from $14.07 this fiscal year, to $14.80 for Fiscal 2023-2024. This would increase the tax on a property by an estimated 5.6 percent from this fiscal year.
The proposed budget is far from being finalized, as additional meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, March 1 at 6 p.m.; Tuesday, March 7 at 6 p.m.; and Wednesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. The annual town meeting, where residents will get a chance to vote on the proposed budget for Fiscal 2023-2024, is currently scheduled for Monday, May 1 at Monument Mountain High School at 6 p.m.
Article updated on March 2 to include clarification from Police Chief Paul Storti on department’s proposed budget.
