RUMFORD — Selectmen tasked department heads Thursday night with describing at next week’s budget meeting what their departments would resemble with budgets less than what they will propose.

The decision came during a 60-minute workshop on department staffing and levels of service.

Department heads are to present their budgets to the board Thursday, March 10, in Rumford Falls Auditorium.

Town Manager Carlo Puiia said he believes selectmen will give department heads direction then. The board will then vote whether to accept or modify them on Thursday, March 24, for presentation to town meeting voters in June.

Selectmen and department heads shared their thoughts on the board’s attempt to work toward a reduction in the 2011-12 municipal budget.

They were concerned that Rumford’s budgets have been rising and worried aloud that the town’s dwindling population wouldn’t be able to bear the burden of the current level of services unless cuts are made.

“The board is concerned for our citizens’ ability to continue to pay their taxes on a timely basis,” Puiia said after the meeting. “Some of them feel that a flat-line budget may be more appropriate with fuel and other increases like health insurance and workmen’s comp.”

He said he reminded them that budgets have actually decreased by 12 percent, if adjusted for inflation over the years.

Discussion shifted from how to approach the budget session to how the board keeps the budget in check.

“Between this year and next, we will receive $800,000 less in state revenue sharing, because our governors have raided this fund for the state’s funding,” Puiia said.

“That was $400,000 last year and $400,000 this year, which would be a big assistance to us, but they’re keeping it in Augusta.”

Puiia said that’s why both selectmen and the Budget Committee and department heads “must be as responsible as they can in determining a budget without jeopardizing the safety of our citizens.”

Police Chief Stacy Carter addressed that issue, stating previous voting patterns on budget recommendations on the ballot for his department.

He said that by a more than a 3-1 tally, voters approved a budget for his department, while a small percentage picked neither recommendation. That, to him, he said, was “a guessing game whether they wanted lower or higher.”

“If you listen to those past votes, and I’ll tell you, yes, this is a difficult year,” Carter said. “Gas is going up and people are struggling.”

“I’m not opposed to tuning up the budget and trying to be fiscally responsible. I’m not opposed to that at all, but for five people to try and make that decision for 5,000, look at the past votes.”

“It tells me that the people are happy with the level of service,” he said. “Yeah, they may be struggling, but they pay their tax bills in respect to all the services they get.”

“Compared to other towns, for what we pay, we have a very high level of service, a very good level of service, and the people appreciate that,” he said.

“Can we try and do it better? Absolutely, but I don’t think that there’s a large majority of people that are dissatisfied with their level of service.”

Selectman Mark Belanger suggested trying a tax rate reduction.

“It’s my opinion that we give way too much money,” he said. “We need to make a good faith effort to show the citizenry that we are trying to reduce it.”

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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