Long have I wondered the real cost of some of our 'assets'. Right now we don't have a clear picture and it's no one's fault. It's the old "Does the golf course make money" dispute.
There are a lot of costs that are not obvious in the school and town budgets.
For example: What is the 'real' cost of operating the Venus building, Recreation Center, golf course, playhouse, athletic fields, library, senior center, recycling and dumping centers, Barlow Pool and Tiger Hollow?
Arguably these are valuable assets but I believe taxpayers have a right to know exactly what they cost to maintain. Currently this is not possible because of the way the budget is organized.
At a Board of Finance meeting (June 23, 2009), to which I was invited to speak, I suggested that cost centers be developed, i.e. that all costs (and income) associated with a center be stated together; including capital as well as operating costs.
For example, how many Parks Department man hours are spent on the athletic fields and golf course? What does it cost to maintain the Venus building and how much income does it earn?
Sitting across from me, the chairman's eyes glazed over as I made my pitch. He checked his Blackberry messages and tuned out. A board member stated they had a good handle on labor costs which represented most of the town's expenses (ergo, my suggestion seemed not worth further effort). Another member asked how many cost centers were involved. The last member present said they were 'sort of' following that path anyway (could have fooled me).
Finally, the chairman thanked me for my time and interest, excused me and moved on. It was if I had never been there.
Wrong.
I'm going to keep bringing this up until we taxpayers get some answers in black and white.
There are a lot of costs that are not obvious in the school and town budgets.
For example: What is the 'real' cost of operating the Venus building, Recreation Center, golf course, playhouse, athletic fields, library, senior center, recycling and dumping centers, Barlow Pool and Tiger Hollow?
Arguably these are valuable assets but I believe taxpayers have a right to know exactly what they cost to maintain. Currently this is not possible because of the way the budget is organized.
At a Board of Finance meeting (June 23, 2009), to which I was invited to speak, I suggested that cost centers be developed, i.e. that all costs (and income) associated with a center be stated together; including capital as well as operating costs.
For example, how many Parks Department man hours are spent on the athletic fields and golf course? What does it cost to maintain the Venus building and how much income does it earn?
Sitting across from me, the chairman's eyes glazed over as I made my pitch. He checked his Blackberry messages and tuned out. A board member stated they had a good handle on labor costs which represented most of the town's expenses (ergo, my suggestion seemed not worth further effort). Another member asked how many cost centers were involved. The last member present said they were 'sort of' following that path anyway (could have fooled me).
Finally, the chairman thanked me for my time and interest, excused me and moved on. It was if I had never been there.
Wrong.
I'm going to keep bringing this up until we taxpayers get some answers in black and white.
And you wonder why no one goes to these meetings and no one believes it when some Board says they realy want the input of residents. Your treatment was absolutely typical of the way it always has been.
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