Town Budget and Capital Project Updates

According to the Town Charter, the Town Manager must submit the proposed budget to the Selectmen by March 1 of every year. The next Selectmen’s meeting is Tuesday, February 28 and, although the agenda is not yet posted, we expect that the budget presentation will take place at this meeting. The Selectmen must either adopt or amend the Town Manager’s budget by March 15, so we expect they will do so at their meeting on Tuesday, March 13. The budget message for fiscal year 2012-13 was level funding on operational costs, except fixed cost increases and strategic initiatives. The police and dispatchers are under a 2-year wage freeze and the DPW has already negotiated a 0.5% increase for FY13. The fire department agreed to a wage freeze last year, but are still in negotiations for FY13.

The School Committee has requested $2.6 million in capital projects for Town Meeting 2012, including a new Center School Feasibility Study, repairs to the High School track and Loop Road, a new roof for Elmwood School, emergency strobe lights for all schools, a new mowing tractor and new windows for the oldest 1928 section of Center School. We do not yet know the full capital request from the town for next year, but you can view the town’s Ten Year Capital Expenditure Plan at http://hcam.tv/sites/default/files/i_cic_schedules_fy12.pdf.

Articles for further reading:

$8.2 Million in Preliminary Capital Expenditure Plan for FY2013
http://hcam.tv/news/82-million-preliminary-capital-expenditure-plan-fy2013

Hopkinton selectmen weigh tax, spending options by Michael Morton, Hopkinton Crier
http://www.wickedlocal.com/hopkinton/news/x183257168/Hopkinton-selectmen-weigh-tax-spending-options

Hopkinton schools seek $2.6 million for projects, equipment by Michael Morton, Hopkinton Crier http://www.wickedlocal.com/hopkinton/news/x219669599/Hopkinton-schools-seek-2-6-million-for-projects-equipment