Selectmen address budget changes, water ban
By Angela Greiner Contributing Writer

Hudson - The selectmen appealed to town residents at their Sept. 17 meeting to abide by the water ban that has been enforced due to lack of rain. The ban prohibits all garden watering and car washing from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In addition, the selectmen unanimously voted in favor of signing the revised Warrant for the November Town Meeting after a lengthy discussion about school budget adjustments and town renovation costs, including going in-depth about the decision to reduce the amount of money appropriated for the schools budget at the May 7 Town Meeting. That budget was based on the expectation of an increase in school spending by the state.

Executive Assistant Paul Blazer explained that, for the 2007 school year, there was an $183,000 deficit in state aid. The town will make up 50 percent of that shortfall after an agreement was reached last spring with former Superintendent Dr. Sheldon Berman that stated that in the event of a shortfall or windfall in state aid, the town would split the diff erence 50-50 with the school.

With the current shortfall, the town has agreed to stand by the original agreement and give the schools budget $91,477.

The town has been criticized in years past for setting a conservative amount for the projected state money allocated for the school budget.

"This is the first time we have ever gone in this direction," Leeber said.

He proposed to the other selectmen that they continue with the practice of setting low budget expectations and then sharing the wealth of an unexpected windfall.

When discussing the budget, although Selectman Joseph Durant supports the proposed Senior Center, he was shocked at the projected cost of nearly $4.5 million for a 14,000- square-foot building.

"I wasted my time going to law school," Durant said. "I should have picked up a hammer."

Selectman Santino Parente expressed his disappointment in the decision of the town to revisit the amendment to adjust the anti-blight and nuisance law during the spring Town Meeting. He reassured residents that the goal of the amendment was not to be a "big brother" watching over the town. He hoped residents would revisit the issue with an understanding that it would be beneficial for the town.

Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday Nov. 19 and the selectmen encouraged residents to read the Warrant, which is available for viewing online.

In other news, the town postponed the public hearing of an alleged liquor violation of the Santa Barbara Pub, which has been before the council several times on similar violations. The hearing is postponed until the next selectmen's meeting Monday Oct. 1.