Post Budget

Well, the dust is now settled on the budget approval process. We have a final budget. Tax bills will be mailed the first of June. So now what? Any municipal manager worth their salt will tell you that the budget process is never complete. For starters, we have a month and a half left in the current fiscal year, so we will be looking to stay within budgetary appropriations in departments and aim to be short of our projected expenses and above our estimated revenues. A lot to ask for but nevertheless reasonable goals. We'll continue to fight cost increases and look to maximize efficiencies (e.g., our recently negotiated 10% reduction in general liability costs). We will also begin fine-tuning our draft 5 Year Capital Improvement Program for Vehicles, Buildings and Equipment. I will then commence the lengthy process of developing a multi-year financial plan, modeled after successful plans in certain cities in NYS. This will alleviate end of year financial projection pressures and in my opinion, assist greatly with the budget development process.

I am looking forward to a year of financial planning, capital programming and efficiency-seeking initiatives.