The total budget represents an increase of about $3.3 million over current spending.
WESTFIELD – The City Council has approved a $120.9 million municipal budget for the coming fiscal year that maintains essential services, provides no layoffs or furlough of personnel and assumes city officials will follow through on plans to consolidate some school and municipal departments.
The council approved the spending plan, after cutting nearly $800,000 from Mayor Daniel M. Knapik’s original budget proposal, Thursday. The new fiscal year begins July 1 and property taxes will increase later in the year by the standard 2.5 percent to finance the package.
Councilor David A. Flaherty cast the lone opposing vote on the budget, continuing his fight to persuade the council to begin financial planning for the future to offset deferred payment of such things as employee pensions.
But, several councilors including Ward 3’s Peter J. Miller noted pension financing is a “statewide” issue and he expects guidelines to be forthcoming from the state concerning future financing of that issue.
Ward 6 Councilor Christopher M. Crean said “This is not a perfect budget but we are more conservative than in the past.”
Ward 2 Councilor James E. Brown Jr. said the council “must do what it can to preserve the three important (municipal) services of public safety, good education and good roads.”
Ward 5 Councilor Richard E. Onofrey Jr., finance chairman, said “This is a good budget, not a perfect budget. It is a workable budget.”
Councilors cut $504,000 from the city’s insurance trust fund; $250,000 from the School Department; $38,600 from Technology Center and $3,900 in stormwater management budgeting.
School Committee finance chairman Kevin J. Sullivan said Friday the School Department was anticipated. “We will have to sharpen our pencils and make up that amount,” he said.
Sullivan said the reduction will not lead to staff cuts or curtailment of programs and services to students.
“They (councilors) assume there will be a consolidation of some operational functions but that study has not yet been completed and we will need to fill our human resources position for July 1 to prepare for the next school year,” he said.
A consolidation study was launched earlier this year to focus on human resources, purchasing and legal services for both City Hall and the School Department.
Knapik said Friday the budget provides “a level of services that addresses the needs of the city. There are no operational cuts.”
As for consolidation, Knapik said “That will take time. It will require approval by the council and School Committee and new city ordinances will be required. It may come some time after July 1.”
The total budget provides $108.8 million for municipal government including $52.2 million for the School Department. It also provides $12 million for services financed through user fees such as water, sewer, ambulance and storm water management.
Knapik plans to use $1.4 million in reserves, about $600,000 less than this year, to offset spending. That will leave the city an estimated $7.7 million in cash reserves.
Also, he will bank on receipt of $32.5 million in state Chapter 70 education funds and another $4.9 million in state aid to the city to finance operations next year. Combined, state allocations represent a projected decrease of $200,000.