Selectmen approve package of budget transfers and a $154,000 reduction to send to Board of Finance

The Stafford Board of Selectmen approved a series of line-item transfers and budget adjustments at its July 2 meeting and voted to forward a net $154,000 reduction to the Board of Finance for its July 7 consideration.

Chair moved the package, which the board discussed and amended in committee. Motions approved by voice vote included a registrar-training request (the chair said total training costs are $1,600, with the first module costing $800) and multiple transfers to cover Family Services shortfalls (line items moved into counseling/prevention and per-diem clinician pay, with individual amounts ranging from under $500 to $5,000). The chair described the adjustments as a net change that, after line-item updates, results in a $154,000 reduction the board will present to the Board of Finance.

"So for the record, it's a $154,000 savings, that we will present to the board of finance," the chair said after members approved the adjustments by voice vote.

The board also accepted a $5,000 donation from a private donor (identified in the packet as American Sleepburne) to restore community center meals and voted to donate an old community-center sign to a local troop at the police request.

During public comment a resident raised concerns about where the $154,000 reduction was taken from. The commenter said, "The public works is gonna be hit for a $172,000," and asked what services might be affected; the chair replied that the board will present the adjustments to the Board of Finance and provide further explanation later.

What’s next: The Board of Finance will review the transfers and the proposed net reduction on July 7; the Selectmen directed staff to prepare more detailed breakdowns for public review.