The $35 million budgeted each fiscal year to support municipal services may see a roughly $100,000 increase in FY27 over the current fiscal year, as Town Administrator Patrice Garvin looks to restructure several municipal departments.
“We’re able to do a lot with a little,” she said. “So I’m very happy with what we’ve been able to add by subtracting.”
The proposed changes, which will result in the elimination of some positions to allow for the creation of new ones, represent a net increase of 1.3 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.
This restructuring does not include the education budget or shared services, Garvin clarified. It includes, rather, everything from the library and general government to public health and safety — just a portion of the town’s roughly $160 million budget.
“One of the things we did with the FY27 budget is … to look for ways to add without fully adding,” she said.
Among the changes proposed are dividing the assistant town administrator/finance director into two roles, both previously held by Jennifer Hewitt, and eliminating the budget analyst position. Instead, the new budget proposes a chief financial officer position.
According to Garvin, the person who held the budget analyst role is now the business manager for the Department of Public Works, a position previously held by Matt Haskell, who was promoted to assistant town administrator earlier this year.
Cut in fiscal year 2022 after a failed override, Garvin’s proposed budget also includes the reinstatement of the fire prevention officer.
“Currently, we have only one uniformed member conducting all aspects of inspection, plan review, license compliance, issuance of permits, initial and follow-up investigations, jobsite reviews, and a host of other tasks,” Fire Chief David DeStefano said in an email to The Voice. “The work is highly technical, and with the ever-increasing complexity of building projects in town, it is very time-consuming.”
Preventing fires and mitigating hazards is among the primary goals of the modern fire service, DeStefano said.
“These goals have been integral to the community risk reduction strategy the fire department has implemented over the last several years,” DeStefano said. “I am extremely pleased that town administration has worked with us to help set the path for a safer Belmont.”
Garvin explained that the Parks and Cemetery director position—currently in charge of the rink, playing fields, cemetery, and pool—would be restructured to be the cemetery operations manager, pending union negotiations. This role would also capture the work of the cemetery administrative position, which Garvin proposes to eliminate following a recent resignation.
“Now that we’re proposing a playing fields manager, and we have a rink manager up and running, the only thing the parks and cemetery director would be focusing on is the cemetery and the pool,” she said.
Also with savings from the cemetery administrator position, Garvin is proposing to create a community services/rink administrative manager.
“What we’ve realized is a seasonal type of position that can really work at the rink during peak season — that’s pretty much October to March — and then when the rink slows down. . .that person can focus more on the Community Services side of things, helping to support the COA and Recreation Department,” Garvin said. “We’re still working to develop a job description for that.”
In order to accomplish some of the new additions to the municipal budget, Garvin has proposed eliminating the annual police vehicle replacement. Typically, she explained, the department budgets for three vehicle replacements each year.
“What I was thinking was with the onset of a new police chief and a new set of eyes looking at things, we really want to start taking a look at whether the three vehicles per year is something we may want to extend out, or review, or look at,” she said.
Overall, the restructure resulted in the loss of 4.5 FTEs and addition of 5.8 FTEs, for a net gain of 1.3 FTEs.
“One of the things we really looked at with the municipal budget is how to do more with less,” said Garvin. “I think that’s the running theme— how to take advantage of vacancies within a position, how to invest in public safety departments and to look at my office in terms of the CFO and assistant town administrator.”
The plan is to have the budget book published in March, according to Garvin. Overall, the proposed municipal budget represents a 2.5% increase over the current fiscal year, despite budgeting for a 3% increase.
