Block Island Times

Town Council makes minor changes to budget

Tweaks were made to the Town of New Shoreham’s budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 on Monday, April 17, paving the way for a warrant adoption by the council on April 19 and then approval by the voters at Financial Town Meeting on May 1.Monday, Town Manager Maryanne Crawford and Finance Director Amy Land presented the council with some last minute changes that decreased the operating budget by $18,805. Those changes came from an increase in the wage, payroll taxes, and benefits line for the director of human services, along with a decrease to the budget line for a human resources director of $46,010.According to the memo prepared by Land, this is because the town would “defer staff hiring, fund $40,000 for consultant work during FY24 around human resources, organization, personnel topics.”Town Council member Neal Murphy said: “So, the greatest asset of any company is its people…$40,000 doesn’t get you much in consulting.” Then he asked if the net decrease in the budget goes “to the bottom line.”Crawford replied, “We leave that up to the council.”“Do you feel like

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