BY TIMOTHY LAROCHE
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CLAREMONT — As the development of the next city budget takes shape, city councilors have outlined some of their objectives to drive the process.
Department heads already have submitted budget proposals to City Manager Ryan McNutt, who will work with them to make adjustments. The first budget proposal is slated for May 2, to be followed by several meetings between city staff and elected officials to propose changes.
“I thought it might be advantageous for each of us, if we have thoughts, to state them at a higher level,” Assistant Mayor Allen Damren said. “I don’t expect nor would it be appropriate for us to get into the nitty-gritty. But on the other hand, I think the city manager needs to know where we are coming from.”
Although Councilor Scott Pope said that more information on potential losses in state funding is required before the council can look more closely at the budget, he wants to look into increasing the paving budget. Several other councilors echoed similar points.
The current $16.4 million operating budget does not include any money for paving but state funds from the passage of Senate Bill 38 opened more than $277,000 to the city for use in paving sections of Main Street and Washington Street.
“At a minimum, we need to look at $250,000 in local resources, augmented by state and federal funding,” Damren said, reading from a letter written by Mayor Charlene Lovett regarding road work. “Identifying the life expectancy of roads and what needs to be done to achieve that needs to be part of the budget discussion.”
Councilors Abigail Kier and Nick Koloski suggested that the city invest further in the Department of Planning and Economic Development. The “small staff” of the department, Koloski said, is key to city development as it handles real estate, business development, planning and other related functions.
“Obviously, there is a lot of push from everybody to not have the rates go up. But with that in mind, what I think is really important is economic development,” Kier said. “That will drive everything else in the city.”
On June 14, councilors passed the current operating budget. The development process was marked by nearly a month of adjustments as several items were changed from McNutt’s initial proposal.
Damren said that including councilor input earlier in the process this year should give staff clearer expectations of a council vision as the budget proposal is developed.
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