T O W N R E P O R T 2007 L U N E N B U R G - Town of Lunenburg

CAPITAL PLANNINGThe Capital Planning Committee is charged with preparing, for the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer, a capital budgetwhich includes a Fiscal Year (FY) Plan and a Capital Improvement Program.At the May Town Meeting in 2007, $317,359.00 was expended from available revenues for the FY Plan. It included:Public Works Dept. 4x4 utility pickup w/plow - facilities $30,000Fire Dept. 24 self-contained breathing apparatus $124,800Police Dept. thirty five sets of duty gear $10,675Police Dept. one unmarked cruiser $28,000School Dept. Elementary School roof section $10,000School Dept. Middle School ADA hardware $30,300School Dept. removal of oil tank $30,000Technology Dept. annual replacement of Town technology items $53,584Also in May 2007 under the Capital Improvement Program, $760,000.00 was approved by borrowing.The items were:Public Works Dept. 6 wheel dump truck w/plow and sander $110,000Public Works Dept. multipurpose snow/sweep/trim $100,000Fire Dept. rescue pumper $550,000At the Special Town Meeting in December 2007, $34,649.00 was approved by available revenue for a Police cruiser. Alldepartments are obligated to submit a 10 year plan and file forms requesting their items for the FY Plan under Criteria. The Criteriais Mandates, Safety, Need, Crisis, Cost Effectiveness.The last Criteria is: Ability to Fund which is the final prioritization the Capital Planning Committee makes in its recommendations.The Committee is aware that the requests are expenditures that provide services of safety, protection, management of governmentas well as the upkeep of facilities and grounds; however, they still have to make recommendations according to the Ability to Fund.The Committee meets with the Department Heads, requires estimates and other pertinent data to support their recommendations.When the Ability to Fund is unattainable, the results become a policy of deferral. As noted many times previously, deferrals dohave repercussions. It risks emergency spending, promotes inflation of cost, creates poorly maintained infrastructure, andincreased operating expenses.The Capital Program status report shows that the second year of reimbursement for the Primary School was $513,448.00. Totalpayment for 2007 for the Library and Public Safety Building was $638,843.00. No monies was spent for the borrowing for theCapital items voted in May 2007 (6 wheel dump truck w/plow, multipurpose snow/sweep/trim and rescue pumper) These item willbe borrowed in 2008. The Committee is aware of future Capital Improvement Program expenditures that will include some additionto the school facility needs, reuse of Center Buildings and improvements in the DPW complex.The Committee is continuing to work toward a better process for sustainability and stability for Capital Expenditures. During thelatter part of 2007, the Committee had the opportunity to work with the new CAFO, Ms. Speidel, and is looking forward to workingwith her to achieve the above goal - the goal to achieve the correct balance in Town spending for a needed sustainable CapitalBudget.Marion Benson, Chair, Planning Board RepresentativeJennifer Benson, School CommitteeSteven deBettencourt, Board of SelectmenDavid Matthews, Finance CommitteeElaine Murphy, Citizens’ Representative