Finance Committee Examines 8.1 Percent Budget Increase

HARWICH – Voters could be looking at an 8.1 percent increase in the town’s annual operating budget for fiscal 2025. The select board has approved a $45,732,309 budget, which the finance committee was planning to vote on late Tuesday.

“It’s a tall ask,” Select Board member Michael MacAskill said as the board approved the budget. He recommended the board examine the message it sends each year to the town administrator on budget increase recommendations.

“We shouldn’t be putting out a budget message of 1.5 percent. We need to look at that and create a policy on what we want,” MacAskill said.

He also recommended that the board look at adjusting the timeline that the charter mandates the select board and finance committee review and make recommendations on the budget and the annual warrant. He said both committees need more time so “we’re not scrambling in the end.”

The timeline was also a concern raised by the finance committee two weeks ago in its public hearing on the town operating budget. Finance Committee Chair Peter Hughes said the group received budget information for review 24 hours before the public hearing.

MacAskill said the initial budget carried a 4.4 percent increase. With a couple of enhancements in services — including a $231,000 increase in overtime for the fire department, the addition of the human resources position and $52,000 in expense for the community center — the budget went to a 5.5 percent increase. A 39.1 percent increase in the town’s debt service, together with a 9.8 percent increase in the Barnstable County Retirement Assessment and an 8 percent increase in group health insurance, increased the budget to 8.1 percent above the current year.

In the finance committee budget hearing on March 21, Hughes suggested the group seek more control over the fire department’s use of overtime. He recommended the overtime funds being sought be placed in the finance committee reserve fund and have the fire department access the funds from that account as needed. Finance committee member Dana DeCosta said when he and Hughes were members of the board of selectmen, the overtime funds were encumbered in the reserve fund. The state Department of Revenue liked that approach, DeCosta said, and the additional money in the reserve fund helped when assessing the town’s bond rating.

But Finance Director Kathleen Barrette said accessing the funds from the reserve fund would be a more time-consuming process, which could impact the fire department. The department could make a request for funds 30 days before they are needed so they would be available in a timely manner, Hughes said.

“It gives another set of eyes,” said Finance Committee member Mark Kelleher. “We’re not denying the fire department that money. It’s a process through which they have to go to get it. It’s the checks and balances we should be doing.”

The select board raised the same issue but endorsed placing the money in the department’s line item, said Town Administrator Joseph Powers.

The select board can vote what they want and the finance committee will vote on what it wants to do, Hughes replied.

Questions were raised about the $250,000 sought to fund the Preschool Family Support Program put in place a year ago. Hughes questioned why after one year that funding request went from a warrant article into the budget. The committee chair said other requests which have become customary continue to remain as warrant articles.

Former Select Board member Linda Cebula said she would like to have statistics on the spending of the preschool funds before being asked in town meeting to provide another $250,000. Hughes said the committee has received no feedback on the use of those funds.

“Until we get information, it’s not in my budget,” Hughes said.

Powers said he would get the information to the committee. At the finance committee’s March 26 meeting, Hughes said the information had still not been received.

The revolving account for the 204 Sisson cultural center also came under scrutiny from committee members. The account is $300,000 and there has been a lot of investment in that building, Hughes said. More of those funds should be used to support the building, said Hughes.

Many of the expenses are the same kind that are in other department’s budgets, said finance committee member Robert MacCready. The money should be in the department budget to provide consistency and transparency, he said, suggesting that the revolving fund be reduced to $100,000.

The select board Monday night was scheduled to close the 54-article annual town meeting warrant. The finance committee was scheduled Tuesday night to act on the fiscal 2025 budget and warrant articles