by Constance Chien ’10
(originally published January 2009)
The January 7 meeting of the Westport Board of Finance involved appropriating amounts money toward the accounts of several organizations as well as a summary of the economic trends for the coming year.
Four appropriations in the 2009 budget were made during this meeting, all passed unanimously. A building official requested $7500 with bond and note authorization to the Municipal Improvement Fund Account, Animal Shelter Renovators. This appropriation was necessary in order to renovate the Westport Humane Society.
According to Gordon Joseloff, First Selectman of Westport, there have been health issues with the shelter in the past, and “the only way is to knock it down.”
Board of Finance member Helen Garten concurred. “The conditions are deplorable,” she said.
However, member Charles Haberstroh stated a dissenting opinion in asking if spending money on such an endeavor was necessary. “I just think the situation around town is not good,” he said, referring to the current economic climate.
An additional appropriation was of a total of $27,366 to cover costs caused by the Democratic primary for Jim Himes on Aug. 12, 2008, which had required an audit. Ten percent of the districts in Conn. are required by law to audit the election, and Westport has been chosen to be audited four years in a row. In addition to the audit, it was necessary to pay workers who counted absentee ballots as well as those who worked in preparation up to the election. The primaries are not part of the general budget because they are considered “exceptional.”
The third appropriation was to request $45,000 with bond and note authorization. This request was from the Town Attorney to the Educational Facilities Improvement Fund Account, SHS Renovation & Expansion 2002. This is in order to resolve the Shepard Steel v. Town of Westport case involving Staples High School.
The final request was to appropriate $110,000 so that a flail mower could be replaced in a tractor of the Public Works Department.
The last hour contained a discussion of the budget for the 2009 year. $16 million remains in general funds in cash, well over the recommended 2% of the budget that must be in cash as per recommendations from companies such as Moody’s. According to the Finance Director, John Kondub, the financial total in Westport is still uncertain as it is still January.
