Category Archives: Budget, Town

A Proposed Town Budget Without Real Numbers

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The Selectboard began review of the Town Manager’s proposed budget last Wednesday and will continue this Wednesday. Although the budget process is arduous and tedious, the Town budget is probably the most important policy document the Selectboard reviews each year. In reviewing this year’s budget materials, I noticed something troubling: there is no information about what we actually spent last year. I don’t know how the Selectboard can intelligently participate in the planned presentations from Department Heads without knowing how much the Continue reading A Proposed Town Budget Without Real Numbers→

Town budget includes funding for electronic message sign

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At Town Meeting in 2020, voters soundly defeated ballot Article 6 to spend $11,000 on two flashing pedestrian crossing signs, known as RRFBs or Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons. Given that defeat, I was surprised that the Selectboard was not more inquisitive about the line item in the Town Manager’s proposed budget to purchase a variable message sign. The cost is $25,000. Not much detail was provided. Here is the transcript from the YouTube video of the Selectboard meeting of November Continue reading Town budget includes funding for electronic message sign→

Hidden Good News: FY 25 Closes With Nearly $1 Million ‘Surplus’

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Officials buried the lede in presenting Norwich’s unaudited financial results for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Missing headline: The Town has nearly $1 million more in surplus money than expected. The Town Manager’s August report overlooked this significant good news, and the Selectboard failed to highlight it in their review. By the numbers. The numbers are clear. Our town ended the fiscal year with approximately $972,000 more on hand than projected when the property tax rate was set Continue reading Hidden Good News: FY 25 Closes With Nearly $1 Million ‘Surplus’→

Podcast: Norwich Selectboard Budget Debate

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Google’s NotebookLM has an Audio Overview tool that will generate a “deep dive” podcast from your specified sources. I gave it my recent post A Divided Norwich Selectboard Grapples with Budget Oversight Responsibilities. The resulting output is below. Click on play to listen. Note that this audio overview is not a comprehensive or objective view of a topic, but simply a reflection of my blog post. Also, inaccuracies and audio glitches can (and did) occur. Nevertheless, I found it interesting Continue reading Podcast: Norwich Selectboard Budget Debate→

A Divided Norwich Selectboard Grapples with Budget Oversight Responsibilities

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How closely should the Selectboard examine the budget proposed by the Town Manager? That question dominated a contentious 100-minute discussion at last week’s Norwich Selectboard meeting that ended in a split 3-2 vote to advance a $6.7 million budget to voters at March Town Meeting. The proposed spending plan, which would increase property taxes by 24%, exposed deep divisions about the board’s oversight responsibilities. Selectboard members Arnold, Calloway and Layton voted in favor of the FY 26 budget while Smith Continue reading A Divided Norwich Selectboard Grapples with Budget Oversight Responsibilities→

Post-Budget Realities: A List of Some Lingering Issues

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As Town Meeting approaches, the Selectboard has approved a budget, crafted through the dedicated effort of Board members, the Town Manager, and staff. The adopted budget largely aligns with the Town Manager’s proposals. However, this post does not delve into the intricacies of the budget itself. Instead, it sheds light on issues that emerged during the budget process yet remain unresolved. It’s important to highlight these lingering concerns that warrant attention from the SB and TM, as well as the Continue reading Post-Budget Realities: A List of Some Lingering Issues→

Silent Rejection: Article 11 and the Selectboard’s Inaction

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At Town Meeting in March 2023, Norwich residents approved Article 11, advising the Town “to consider” the addition of a fifth full-time officer to the Norwich Police Department (NPD). However, the Selectboard has quietly rejected this vote by finalizing next year’s budget without allocating funds for the additional position and more importantly for this post, without any discussion of Article 11. The Board’s rejection of the voters wish to consider the issue, without any kind of explanation, prompts questions about Continue reading Silent Rejection: Article 11 and the Selectboard’s Inaction→

Public Input Matters: How to Spend a Once-in-a-Generation Surplus

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The Town of Norwich has $1.8 million in surplus cash, of which $1 million came from ARPA but since then washed of its restrictions.  On Wednesday, December 13th, the Selectboard will consider plans to use that money as follows, subject to voter approval at Town Meeting: Selectboard December 13 meeting packet at 17, 35 (Slide 15, 33) Based on the public information available, I am not confident this is a prudent use of this once-in-a-generation surplus. The capital plan is Continue reading Public Input Matters: How to Spend a Once-in-a-Generation Surplus→

Random Notes and Comments: 10-25 Selectboard meeting

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My collection of random comments, notes and thoughts after watching the video recording of the October 25 Norwich Selectboard meeting. Secrecy still shrouds appointment of TM In a prior post, I listed some of the superb questions a resident posed to the Selectboard about the ‘emergency’ appointment of a permanent town manager to a 3-year term. The Selectboard declined to respond to those questions, after asking that they be submitted in writing. Chair Marcia Calloway asked the Board if anyone Continue reading Random Notes and Comments: 10-25 Selectboard meeting→