Senior nutrition program to take a hit
By Tyler Witkop
Turley Publications Correspondent
HAMPDEN – Several town officials met with the Board of Selectmen Feb. 6 to present and discuss their preliminary budget proposals for the upcoming year.
Council on Aging Director Rebecca Moriarty, Highway Superintendent Dana Pixley, Fire Chief Mike Gorski, and Police Chief Jeff Farnsworth all presented their proposals, which by recommendation of the Advisory Committee were level serviced, meaning that budgets should be as much as needed to provide equal services as the previous year.
Moriarty requested an increase from last year, mainly in the form of labor hours for the clerical and outreach coordinator. The hours per week under her request would increase from 18 to 20, keeping the position part-time.
Doing Less
Moriarty said the position could be full-time with the amount of work required and available. She noted that in 10 years, the census has gone up from 900 to 1,300 seniors in town.
“I feel that we’re doing less than we need right now,” Moriarty said, “home visits have gone by the wayside.”
Selectman John D. Flynn noted that with the hours increasing to 20, opting into the town’s health plan becomes an option for the employee. Selectmen Chairman Richard R. Green suggested that she break down the cost to show the Advisory Committee what the additional cost is for the increase in hours.
“We’re going to need to explain (the additional cost to the residents at Town Meeting),” Green said.
Noting some of the services of the Senior Center/Council on Aging, Moriarty said that last year, volunteers gave over 600 car rides to seniors in town, paid for by the volunteers. She also noted that the services provided are still under those in 2005 when the town was forced to close the Senior Center due to budget constraints. She added that the clerical position was a 40 hour per week job then.
Looking ahead, Moriarty cautioned the selectmen that Gov. Deval Patrick’s budget line item for elder nutrition is currently down 23 percent, which could translate to a 10 percent cut locally. Moriarty noted that smaller congregate sites, including Hampden, could lose a day or more in meals.
“(If the budget passes) we’re going to have to get creative,” Moriarty remarked.
Fire Department
One of the biggest needs for the fire department in the coming years will be their pagers, Gorski noted in his discussion with selectmen. He told the selectmen that when the town upgraded to the new high band radios last year, they started to notice difficulties with their low band pagers.
“I suggest that we phase this in over five years,” Gorski said. By phasing in the purchases, the town would defray the cost of the equipment, paying $500 for seven pagers. He noted, after questioning from the selectmen, that there is no additional money available from the grant for the radio upgrade to purchase the pagers or any other equipment.
“We don’t have to make this decision this year,” Gorski said.
‘Straight Forward’
“Everything looks to be pretty straight forward,” Green told Pixley of his budget.
Pixley told the board that the only increases were contractual rate increases for their truck services.
Speaking of the current year, Pixley informed that as of the meeting, $44,649 was left in the snow and ice account, out of the $60,000 to start the year. That number includes the cost of snow removal for the history-making October snowstorm that left the northeast without power for nearly a week.
Farnsworth presented a budget $43,309.23 over last year, which he noted consists mainly of contractual obligations. He said that court and maintenance costs have also increased, which are reflected in the number.
Included in the total budget is the purchase of a new cruiser, which happens almost annually. Farnsworth told selectmen that Cruiser One would be replaced, which currently has between 50,000 and 60,000 miles. He noted that once they reach 100,000 miles, the cost of maintenance increases substantially, which he expects the car will do by year’s end.
“I’d like to wait as long as I can (to purchase the cruiser),” Farnsworth said, noting that the Ford Crown Victoria will no longer be in production. “I’d like to see what (the other models’) track record is.”
Assuming that the purchase was not approved, Farnsworth estimated the cost of maintenance to be roughly $1,500 on the current vehicle. He quickly noted that anything could happen with the vehicle, easily doubling or tripling that estimate.
“Could we get by purchasing one cruiser?” Flynn asked. He noted that the town typically purchases two: one on budget and one off the budget. “We could knock off half (of the budget number) if we take off the cruiser and save it for fall (meeting).”
