Ken
O’Brien
The pledge cited four specific reasons for its
enactment:
1. The
pressure on residents from increasing water and sewer rates;
2. The
imminent expiration of landfill revenues;
3. A
stagnant commercial tax base;
4. Increased
out of school placement.
The pledge was signed by Councilors Moriarty,
Carrasco, Vandal, and Estrada as well as by Vecchia.
The pledge expanded upon the view that Councilor
Vecchia expressed earlier in the evening regarding the town’s free cash. Town
Accountant Karen Harnois indicated that free cash had been certified by the
State at $1.1 million. Vecchia stated the view that the figure should represent
10% of the town’s budget. As such it should be in the range of $5 million.
In light of the fact that the pledge had been signed
by a majority of the Council’s membership, Vecchia stated that the interim Town
Manager should be guided by it in the preparation of the FY 2016 budget. He
further indicated that the School department should also be directed to adhere
to the guideline.
During Councilors Forum both Councilors Steeves and
Manna indicated their objection to not being informed of the pledge and stated
their opposition to it.
How many households are trailing?
ReplyDeleteHas any thing "good" ever come out of a landfill?
ReplyDeleteToday at a local coffee hang out I heard a
ReplyDeletelocal outspoken Council wannabe make the following claims:
1. That one of the newly elected councilors was not correct when he stated during the debate that the Industrial Park road has been "already paid for by Casella".
2_ That the Town of Southbridge has borrowed the money for the Industrial Park Road and that Casella only maKes the payments and that this money is only from tipping fees already promised.
3. That Southbridge was promised the highest tipping rate in the State by Mr. Bohlig, a Casella executive during the public forum about the landfill deal which makes this new comparison study mute.
Who is telling the truth?