Rockland: Town Faces Shortfall for the FY 20 Budget

by | May 7, 2020 | News

Rockland Town Administrator Douglas Lapp says the town is facing a $1.3 million shortfall for the FY 20 budget.

A major part of that number is expected to be a $585,000 deficit on property taxes. Lapp and Town Accountant Elizabeth Zaleski presented options to the Selectmen. They’re planning to close out Town Meeting articles that have funds remaining or cannot be completed – that would be about $467,000.

An additional $425,000 would be from free cash accounts and other transfers that were held back.

Furloughs are proposed for some employees at the Town Hall, Senior Center, Library, and Youth Commission. That amount is $100,000, but it could change.

“This is something that’s really weighed on me heavily as well as everybody on the team that gets involved in this. It’s not something that we take lightly at all,” said Lapp.

Core functions, such as meals at the Senior Center, would remain intact. Furloughed employees would still have benefits, and the town would help them with applying for unemployment.

“The intent of a furlough is it’s not a layoff so hopefully none of these will be permanent,” said Lapp.

Facing a significant deficit in FY 21, Lapp wants to avoid using stabilization funds for as long as possible. There’s $1.7 million in that account.

“A worldwide pandemic with the most catastrophic impact on the economy in our lifetime or the last 100 years – this is the definition of what a financial emergency as in what is going to necessitate taking some out,” said Lapp. “You’ll see when we talk about FY 21, we’ll get into that a little bit more. We’re going to have to use some of that, but we certainly can’t empty the whole account, because that wouldn’t be responsible.”

Lapp said he would provide recommendations to the Selectmen at their May 19 meeting. The Finance Committee is set to meet on May 20.

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