The people of Bethlehem got a sneak peak at some of the tough conversations their leaders might be having later this year when, at a recent Town Board meeting, members of a budget advisory committee presented a report on the town’s Parks and Recreation Department.
You can read the details in this week’s front-page story. We bring it up here because the report not only lays out a number of options that would greatly impact the town’s recreational opportunities, but it sets the stage for what might be the tough budget season of tough budget seasons.
Regular readers already know the details: besides contending with ever-rising pension and healthcare costs, the town will be seeing the Selkirk Cogen energy plant coming back onto the tax rolls in 2013, making for a potential $3.5 million budget gap. This year’s budget is $38.6 million so… well, you can do the math, and it’s not pretty.
So part of the Budget Advisory Committee’s charge is to seek out every “efficiency” (read: cut) in town. We heard from Parks and Rec last week, and over the coming months we’ll be seeing similar reports from the town’s other departments. These should be cause for some serious discussions, if the parks analysis is any indicator.
The proposals include shuttering the 9-hole Colonial Acres Golf Course, expanding access to the Elm Avenue Park pool to non-residents and/or shortening the pool season, closing the skating rink and increasing usage fees across the board. (This would be a good time to point out no one has actually proposed making any changes, these are merely reports).
If services and programs are cut to the bone and rates are jacked up, the Budget Advisory Committee figures the town will save something on the order of $100,000 from Parks and Rec. Hardly chump change, but a big change for taxpayers.
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Comments
selkirk12158 10 months ago
I have been a resident of the Town of Bethlehem, NY for many years. I am very concerned about the budget. Selkirk Cogen just didn't happen. So why didn't the Town of Bethlehem prepare for this a long time ago ? How can you "speak up" when the Town of Bethlehem will only discuss what they want to in the "open" and advised some residents that what they want to discuss can only be done in "private" office ? I have been asking the Town of Bethlehem for over 32 years for help in getting sewer in my area (Selkirk) and/or help with the high water woes, only to hear that it will cost 6.5 million dollars. I asked for an open meeting to have the questions/concerns answered from residents and non-residents regarding ACO actions, only to hear that the Town of Bethlehem accepted the police's investigation and it has be discussed in private. Thus, on facebook "Justice for Nikki" was created. Budget cuts to the Police Dept. Here is my suggestion: Hire an ACO that can do the job correctly!
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