Budget meetings will be held June 15, 16 and 22.
CHICOPEE – The City Council is preparing a thorough review of the proposed budget for next year, scheduling meetings this week and next week.
Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette submitted the about $155 million draft budget to the City Council last week. He said there would be no layoffs despite a small, $700,000 decline in state assistance.
The City Council voted to accept the draft last week. It has scheduled meetings for 6:15 p.m. June 15, 16 and 22 at City Hall to scrutinize the proposals. The final vote on the budget is scheduled for June 23, said City Council President William A. Zaskey, who heads its finance committee.
The budget must be passed before the July 1 start of the 2012 fiscal year, he said.
“I don’t see too many changes,” Zaskey said after taking a preliminary look at the budget.
Most of the questions the Council have will likely be answered by Bissonnette when he attends the budget hearing on Thursday, Zaskey said.
One thing that has attracted some attention is a proposal to transfer three employees from the city clerk’s office to different departments. One will go to the city council office, one will move to the law department and one will transfer to the registrar of voters.
“The City Clerk’s office seemed to be cut drastically,” City Council Vice President Robert J. Zygarowski said. “It stood out because of the considerable amount of changes.”
Some other positions are also being moved. For example a principal clerk is moving from the human resources office to the treasurer’s office.
Several new positions have been added, including a benefits manager for the human resources department at a cost of $45,000, a computer technician in information systems at a cost of $36,026, and a grant manager to the planning department for $45,141.
“I want to know why he (Bissonnette) is doing different things and what his reasoning is. I’m sure the council will scrutinize it,” Zygarowski said.
The council cannot add to the budget, but it can cut it or transfer money from one department to another, he said.
Zygarowski said he is disappointed the Council has little authority over the school budget, since state officials set the amount a city must spend on education under the 1993 Education Reform Law.
The school budget is typically half or more of a city’s entire spending. The elected School Committee determines how the money is spent.