Proposed Mansfield Town Budget Faces Shortfall

Town officials will have to find a way to cut $2.5 million from the proposed fiscal year 2017 town budget to avoid a deficit.

Town Manager Bill Ross recently presented a draft budget of $92.812 million, up 4.5 percent from last year. The projected shortfall is $2.559 million.

“This deficit, while lower than the deficit in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget when presented, remains a challenge. The Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee and School Committee will need to work together to resolve the deficit before a final budget is presented to Town Meeting for consideration and adoption,” Ross said in a message on the budget.

According to Ross, The budget assumes that Chapter 70 and Unlimited Local Government Aid from the state will increase by 0.5 percent.

Included in the budget are two new positions in the highway department - a skilled laborer and a full-time clerk. Two full time but temporary positions are also in the budget for the DPW/Public Safety complex project.

The proposed budget includes $400,000 from the general fund to the trust for other post employment benefits, along a proposal to transfer $500,000 from cash to the budget stabilization fund. If a similar amount is transferred in the following fiscal year, the fund will reach the 5 percent minimum that is in the town’s financial policies.

Ross said he plans on meeting with department heads over the next two weeks to review their budget proposals.