Communication or lack there of
Editorial

Who gets to make the decision about how to distribute the town's money?

This is the question that has plagued the most recent budget season. In both Ashburnham and Westminster, town officials have been looking over the fine details of the budget to a degree that has not happened of the last few years. That is a good thing.

The problem is that over the last couple of weeks, in a move to reduce the budgets, it seems like the discussion part of the review process has failed.

In Ashburnham, the Board of Selectmen and Advisory Board reduced their expected funding of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District budget by $70,000, which represents the "growth" figure in the upcoming town levy.

School Committee members were expected to re-certify a budget on Monday that only has a $295,000 shortfall - this would have restored fewer positions and curriculum then the higher budget. Voters were going to be asked to cover this shortfall as part of an override request.

Now the budget has a $155,000 hole because the district cannot access Westminster's proportional share of the $70,000 budget cut by Ashburnham.

This was big blow to a group that had spent the last four months debating and reviewing their budget.

Yes, it is the town officials that get to determine how the budgets are funded and which budgets are funded. Yes, no money is guaranteed until voters appropriate it at town meeting. And yes, the budgets are tight and there are things that are desperately needed in Ashburnham that could be bought with the $70,000.

The problem is that a few comments about the tough budget times and the funding process were not enough warning to either the School Committee or Westminster officials that such a substantial cut was coming.

The cuts also came during a Selectmen's meeting that was held at the same time as the School Committee's meeting. The two meetings were held in the same building and Selectmen were in attendance at the School Committee meeting shortly before they took this vote and never mentioned the review of that aspect of the district's funding.

That causes some bad feelings. And whether it was meant as disrespectful or not, it will be perceived as a slap in the face because no one was there to hear the discussion, as it is awfully hard to be in two places at one time.