Town of Lenox, Massachusetts

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Town of Lenox Annual Town Report - 2008 will need to transcend the traditional boundaries that we normally put between towns if we are to prosper under the changed environment we now confront. Another perennial challenge we face is how to pay for the capital needs the Town has. The value of the infrastructure that supports the town totals some $60 million. This includes everything from our roads to our water and sewer pipes to the town vehicles to town and school buildings. Maintaining all of this is expensive. The water and sewer operations are supported by the fees charged to users. We strive to make these operations selfsupporting without relying on general fund support. This is becoming particularly difficult to do for the sewer operations as we face the need to replace old pipes and old pump stations and upgrade the wastewater treatment plant to meet more stringent discharge requirements. The cost of sewer improvements over the next 5-8 years could top $30 million. Even with double digit sewer rate increases we need to subsidize the sewer operations at least in the short term as we chip away at the improvements needed. Again, regional solutions will be explored to see if there are less expensive ways for us to meet our needs. Other projects, for example, road reconstruction, new roofs for town and school buildings, need to be scheduled soon. As we retire previous bonds for school construction we will need to secure new bonds to pay for these additional projects. Again, we are looking at millions in capital improvement needs here as well. Along with pursuing regional opportunities we need to review our internal structure as well. A proposal to review our structure of government will come before voters at the Annual Town Meeting by way of a citizen’s petition article. The Town’s Special Act Charter that created our current structure was adopted back in 1991. A review of the structure can be productive especially if it is all inclusive and looks beyond our town borders. We need to be thinking long-term on how we best manage our municipal affairs. There also will be a vote on whether to move forward with a consolidation of our financial operations by replacing our Town Accountant with a Finance Director as provided as a local option by state law. A Finance Director would assume the duties of the Town Accountant as well as oversee the work of the Town Treasurer/Clerk, the Town Collector, and the Assessors. Currently these four independent departments serve under the supervision of the Town Manager. By consolidating the operations we streamline our organizational structure and position ourselves for further consolidation, including possibly with the school department. Meeting the challenges of small-town government requires creative thinking and collaborative efforts. Your ideas and input are welcomed, indeed, are needed as we continue to work as a community on these challenges. I look forward to receiving your good guidance. Respectfully submitted, Gregory T. Federspiel Town Manager 20
Town of Lenox Annual Town Report - 2008 REPORT OF THE TOWN COLLECTOR To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and Citizens of Lenox: I respectfully submit a detailed description of all revenues as of June 24, 2008 Prepay 2009 $3,183.51 Real Estate Tax 11,087,400.00 CPA 262,974.29 Personal Property Tax 338,145.54 Motor Vehicle Excise Tax 687,987.23 Real Estate Interest & CPA Interest 55,543.01 Personal Property Interest 580.59 Motor Vehicle Excise Interest 1,821.49 Highway Revenue .00 W/S Rates and Interest 2,011,639.40 W/S Liens and Interest 128.54 W/S Demand Fees 22,183.31 DPW Misc. Fees 282,594.94 Cemetery Fees 12,745.00 Perpetual Care Fees 9,300.00 Cemetery Lot Sales 3,900.00 Parking Tickets 1,215.00 Municipal Lien Certificates 4,650.00 Licenses 63.00 Trailer Court Fees 9,504.00 Scholarship Fund 23,773.53 Registry of Motor Vehicles Surcharges 1,540.00 General Fund 5,657.00 Deputy Collector Fees 3,542.00 Other 380.40 Sub Totals 14,830,451.78 Collectors Interest to Treasurer 2,259.43 Totals 14,832,711.21 21 Respectfully submitted, Diana C. Kirby, Town Collector Jenifer D. Picard, Asst. Collector
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LENOX SCHOLARSHIP List of Donors To
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LENOX PUBLIC SCHOOLS Support/Servic
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Town of Lenox, Massachusetts

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