While significant cuts are expected in the FY 2021 town budget in Rockland, Town Administrator Douglas Lapp is hoping to avoid layoffs and reductions to current services.
Lapp says a major factor in the budget will be the anticipated reduction in state aid.
“Because of the type of the community we are, we were going to benefit significantly from the initial Governor’s proposed budget,” said Lapp. “Now, with the economic conditions we’re at, this is the other side of the coin. We’re going to be disproportionately hurt compared to a lot of other communities because of that. State aid is the biggest driver here.”
Lapp says they’re projecting a $2.8 million revenue deficit for the next year. The towns and the schools will split the cost at $1.4 million each.
Department heads gave options for cuts to help balance the budget, without decimating current services.
Additional spending was initially planned for 2021, but Lapp says budget reductions will be made from those increases.
On the town government side, $654,394 would be reduced from the budget. About $787,000 would come from other funding sources such as the stabilization fund, free cash, and the OPEB Trust.
“I’m trying to avoid laying off any people that are currently employed with the town. We have 35 people that are furloughed. I hope to ultimately bring them all back,” said Lapp. “In my opinion the town is staffed on the general government side – which is all I can speak to – very, very thin. While we’ve had some good accomplishments over the years bringing staffing levels up to where they are. We’re still really understaffed in many departments.”
The town’s financial team is working on finalizing the budget for the June 22 Annual and Special Town Meeting.
A June 2 date was set to finalize the budget for the Selectmen, and June 3 for the Finance Committee.
