Keegan's $81M Budget Calls for Privatization of Endicott Estate, Keep Positions Frozen

Town Administrator William Keegan put forward an $80.99 million budget for fiscal year 2012 that now will get hashed out during several Finance Committee meetings between now and Town Meeting in May.

Keegan’s proposal, which he unveiled in a 25-minute presentation Thursday at the Board of Selectmen meeting, calls for freezing of several positions across all departments, looking for a private management company to take over the and investigating a reorganization of the Town Clerk’s office.

As usual, the town will depend on property tax for 81 percent of the town’s revenues.

“Property taxes are the main component of our revenues,” Keegan said.

Keegan predicted that of the overall revenues – in comparison to 10 percent just three years ago. Final aid numbers won’t be out until early summer, Keegan said.

“[It] puts more burden on local residents here to pick up that difference,” he said.

Keegan’s budget proposal calls for an overall budget increase of 2.8 percent over fiscal year 2011 – or a difference of $2.18 million.

“People aren’t going to be too happy that it’s going up at all, but the state allows the town to raise revenues by 2.5 percent plus new growth,” selectman Michael Butler said.

The only section of the town budget that will cut its budget is community services as Keegan looks to fund the Endicott Estate for six months and then find a private management company to run the town-owned building.

“It’s my goal that to maintain a civic use for the property, but at the same time we want to build upon the ability to market the Estate and to improve the number of attendants that use the Estate,” Keegan said.

According to Keegan, the Endicott Estate runs at a loss year over year, and he is looking to change that.

The town will begin taking proposals from private companies to run the Estate. Keegan didn’t discuss what would happen to funding if no company came forward.

Several vacant positions will go unfilled through fiscal year 2012, including four in the police department, two in the fire department, one in Parks and Recreation, 3.7 positions in community services – mainly library staff positions – and two in the finance department.

Keegan stressed that public safety departments have been operating with those six vacancies for some time and that services will operate at the same level.

The town administrator also will take time to re-evaluate the functions of the Town Clerk’s office as that office will see staff members retire in the next 12 months, Keegan said. The restructuring will focus on providing town residents information using technological advances.

“It is our intent to redefine the positions to provide services more reflective of services we provide today,” he said.

The unknown for the budget lies in the capital expenditure requests that are still under consideration.

There are currently $25.6 million worth of improvements under consideration. That includes – which the town will receive $1.3 million back from the state – and $12 million for a new police station.

Keegan said following the presentation that Dedham Police Chief Michael d’Entremont is required to make the request, but it’s highly unlikely that request will receive approval for fiscal year 2012.

Depending on how much Town Meeting ultimately approves between capital expenses and the operating budget, the Dedham budget will approach the $100 million plateau.

“That is a significant milestone in many ways,” he said.

But it’s one that – in the words of the selectmen – will be reached responsibly and after years of investing for long-term savings.

“We have made, incrementally, cuts in personnel or in expenses over the past two years, so there is no situation where we fall off a cliff to bring the budget home,” Butler said.