BURRILLVILLE – In anticipation of a difficult budgeting year, where new expenses, from school transportation to ongoing litigation lead to limits on spending, the Burrillville Town Council considered implementing a freeze on hiring of town staff this week.
Ultimately, councilors took no action, although Town Manager Michael Wood said he plans to hold off on non-essential hiring until the budget is decided in June.
“This is something that has been discussed off the record amongst us trying to figure out things to do,” said Councilor Justin Batalon. “The town’s always been good managing their finances, and Mr. Wood and his staff have done a great job pairing down staffing and keeping it to a minimum. There’s not a lot of fluff. But it’s something I think we should consider.”
Batalon, who sponsored the resolution, noted the upcoming budget is expected to be one of the most difficult in years.
It’s a statement noted by various town and school officials many times in recent months. Declining enrollment at Burrillville schools has led to a decrease in state aid, even as costs for mandated expenses such as out-of-district transportation continue to rise. In January, a joint letter to Rhode Island Department of Housing Program Development Chief Benjamin Haynie from the Town Council and School Committee noted that the district is paying up to $40,000 a month for transportation for kids staying at the cottages at Zambarano to out of town schools, while receiving only $75,000 in funding to help cover the expense.
On the municipal side, Wood has pointed to the still ongoing lawsuit over plans to install a synthetic turf field at Burrillville High School as an unanticipated expense, noting in January that research and litigation had cost the town $200,000.
“As we all know we’re up against a wall this year, more so than the past half dozen, or so when it comes to budgeting due to a variety of factors,” said Batalon. “I know there are vital positions that need to be filled, but it’s something I think we should look at, at least in the interim, until we can get the budget finalized.”
Councilor Stephen Rawson noted that under state law, the school district operates independently on such matters.
“I don’t believe the Town Council has the authority to mandate that to the School Department,” Rawson said. “They would have to do it on their own voluntarily.”
Rawson noted that the numbers often change during budget season.
“I think it’s a consideration we can have for the near future,” he said of Batalon’s proposed freeze.
For his part, Wood said he plans to hold off on as many hires as possible.
“There are a few positions we need to fill that are open, but if I can hold off I will,” Wood said. “We’ve done it in the past.”
Wood said positions that do need to be filled immediately include one in the school district’s IT department and another at the library. He said future decisions between now and June on hiring can be reported back to the council.
“We can talk about it at a future council meeting,” said Wood.
The council did not vote on the proposal.
I want out of this expensive Town…been here most of my life, I’m 68.
Is there a mistake in this article or am I missing something? It says the town has spent $40k on bussing out of district students but only receiving $75k to help cover it.
We missed the words “a month.” The cost has been estimated at $40,000 a month, and has been corrected above. Sorry for the missing context!