Boardman to focus on frugality to avoid fiscal watch, trustees say

By Denise Dick

The township ended 2009 with a $400,000 carryover in unrestricted funds.

BOARDMAN — With a budgetary nip here and a financial tuck there, township trustees hope to get through this year without a state fiscal watch or emergency declaration.

The panel is working from a temporary spending plan with a final one expected to be approved by late February or early March, said Trustee Thomas Costello.

One of the board’s first moves of the year was to order the fire chief to keep all three fire stations open with a minimum staffing of eight firefighters.

That drew the ire of the firefighters’ union whose members contend the plan compromises safety.

Previously, 10 firefighters had been used to keep all three fire stations open with overtime sometimes approved to reach the 10-man level.

Returning to the eight-firefighter per shift minimum will reduce that department’s overtime, Costello said.

Trustee Brad Calhoun said some savings also are expected through a resignation in the zoning office. The assistant zoning inspector resigned earlier this month.

Calhoun said there’s been talk of making that formerly full-time post a part-time position.

“We’re looking everywhere we can to turn a nickel or a dime,” Costello said.

Larry Moliterno, trustees chairman, couldn’t be reached late last week but has previously said that one priority early in the year will be updating the township’s strategic plan. That plan touches on restoring services, establishing a capital improvement plan and phasing out reliance on inheritance-tax revenue for operations.

The township is in negotiations with the union representing rank police officers and hopes to save some money there, too, Costello said.

Before taking office, Costello and Calhoun, who were elected in November, along with Trustee Larry Moliterno met with all of the township’s unions

“We asked them to work with us to help us do what was best for the township,” Costello said. “The vast majority of the unions were very receptive.”

Calhoun gave the same report.

“No one suggested that they weren’t willing to work with us,” he said.

As for the road department, there was much discussion on talk radio and on Internet message boards the last few years concerning a two-men-per-truck practice. Mostly, road crews are sent out with one-person per truck, Costello said.

“We’re close to being able to make it through this year without going into fiscal watch or fiscal emergency,” he said.

Calhoun agreed.

“It is my understanding we will squeak through this year as tight as you can make it,” he said.

In late 2009, the state auditor’s office conducted a fiscal analysis of the township as the request of the former board of trustees. The auditors found that while the township didn’t hit fiscal watch or emergency status for 2009, a deficit was expected in 2010.

Fiscal-watch status means expenditures are outpacing revenues. It’s a precursor to a declaration of fiscal emergency, which would mean the state would come in and supervise spending.

The difference between projected revenue and projected expenses this year is between $200,000 and $300,000, Calhoun said. The cuts already made are expected to make up that difference.

Costello said the township wrapped up 2009 with a $400,000 carryover of unrestricted money, meaning it’s not earmarked for a specific use.

Trustees hope to realize other reductions during this year to ease the budget crunch in 2011.

They haven’t finalized a projected revenue amount for 2010 yet, but it’s expected to be about $15.8 million, Costello said.

“We have to be judicious in how we spend our dollars,” Costello said. “All department heads are aware of that.”

Barring something unforeseen, trustees don’t expect to seek additional revenue or to cut personnel this year.

“At this point in time — taking a snapshot of today — we’re hoping to do it without new money and without layoffs,” Costello said.

denise_dick@vindy.com