Selectmen Considering What To Cut, What To Spend

Amherst selectman are narrowing down their choices of what they want funded in the town’s default budget, and what needs to be cut.

Selectman Brad Galinson came forward with his budget proposal at their meeting on Monday, which included allocating money to the Department of Public Works.

The default budget for the next fiscal year is $10,853,361, which is $242,035 less than the board’s The board has since been considering how to fit items they want to fund in the tighter default budget.

Galinson proposed increases in town building maintenance, outside hire for DPW and in Cost-Of-Living Adjustments for town employees. This would be offset with the increased health insurance premium contribution by employees and lower-than-expected costs for crack sealing roads.

He also calculated $60,000 in savings by zeroing funds in bridge work.

Town Administrator Jim O'Mara said Tuesday that the saving from the Bridge Bond principal and interest was because the town is doing so much road work and has only spent the Bridge Bond on the necessary engineering to begin these projects. The State of New Hampshire has redefined their original reimbursement commitment from funding all the bridge projects to only the engineering portion at this time.

He said it would be "imprudent" to proceed until the State of New Hampshire follows through on its original reimbursement commitment.

Some selectmen were not comfortable with Galinson’s proposal to make cuts in health and human services.

“I am not comfortable with making major cuts to health and human services,” said selectman George Infanti. “Those are the people that need it more than anybody else in this town.”

The board said they plan to make more decisions on the default budget at their meeting on Monday.