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WINSTED — The town’s financial situation will be the center of discussion at two special meetings scheduled next week by the Winchester Board of Selectmen.
On Tuesday, June 23, at 7 p.m., the board will discuss the status of the town’s fund balance and whether money from Winsted’s financial reserves needs to be used to cover overages in the current fiscal year.
On the following night, an overdue audit of the town’s 2007-08 fiscal year will be presented to the board, giving a final analysis of the year’s expenditures.
Town Manager Keith Robbins said the audit has actually been completed in draft form but needs to be reviewed prior to next week’s meeting.
“The draft is being reviewed right now,” he said.
Both of next week’s meetings will offer attendees a clearer picture of the town’s current and past accounts, which have been under pressure from a weak economy and repeated cuts and failed budget referendums.
“We’ve got some issues [in this year’s budget] that I don’t think are insurmountable, but I think we’re going to need to sit down to try and resolve them,” said Selectman David Cappabianca.
Just how much the town is in the red remains to be seen, but the town manager said drastic action will not be necessary.
“There is no chance that there will be a supplemental tax,” he said.
Several fund transfers for town departments were completed by selectmen Monday night. The transfers involved included small amounts transferred within department budgets, including the fire department, assessor’s office, public works and economic development commission.
“The department heads are doing their jobs to make sure their budget line items are not overextended,” Robbins said. “The bottom line of each indivudal department’s budget is not affected by these fund transfers. It is all moneys within their budget.”
A request by the Winsted Fire Department to transfer $7,500 from its maintenance of structures account into its supplies account was approved, as was $3,657 in the tax assessor’s budget to cover a payroll overage. A $10,000 savings on fuel oil in the town’s Public Works Department was used to pay for a delivery of road salt, along with salaries and other accounts.
Selectmen were reluctant in their approval of the Public Works transfers, saying the department should have paid closer attention to its accounts.
“I think there’s a certain amount of disgust amongst this board when we look at these kinds of transfers simply because this isn’t stuff that we should be having to do,” said Selectman Michael Hamm. “There should be more accountability in the Public Works Department to make sure we’re not filling a salt shed in April to make sure we have it the following year.” Selectmen Cappabianca and Jeffrey Liskin voted against the transfer.
The Board of Selectmen will meet Tuesday, June 23, at 7 p.m. to discuss the town’s fund balances and any remaining problems with the current fiscal year. On Wednesday, June 24, also at 7 p.m., the board will examine the audit of the town’s 2007-08 fiscal year. Both meeting will take place in the P. Francis Hicks Room at Town Hall.
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