A Full Course Load
Even though it has been years since I was in school, every September the same feelings of excitement and anticipation of a new academic year come back. Of course, having children of school age and living in a region that comes back to life as students return to college helps feed these emotions.
The business of town government also responds to the school calendar. The weeks after Labor Day bring a flurry of activity and a sense of urgency after the summer hiatus. While the work of town government continued throughout the summer, the pace is less hectic and the public’s focus on issues is far less intense as families are busy balancing their lives with vacation, camps and other summer pursuits.
Town government comes back to life quickly as boards and committees begin to meet regularly and the daily routines of families become centered on life in Winchester. Much of the work of our government at this time is geared towards preparing for the “midterm examination” that comes in early November- the Fall Town Meeting. Fall Town Meeting has become an important event as the Town’s capital plan is finalized and submitted for approval. The Capital Planning Committee is busy at work evaluating and prioritizing the many important capital projects for the Town’s buildings, facilities and infrastructure. The Fall Town Meeting is also a time to focus on the land use of the Town. This year, there are several land use projects that will impact the Town for many years to come. Incredibly, the two major parcels of precious agricultural land in Winchester are being pursued for private development at the same time- the Pansy Patch property on Cambridge Street and the Hamilton (Locke) Farm property on Ridge Street. If this wasn’t enough, other major parcels are being developed or redeveloped, including the former Immaculate Conception and GEI properties on North Main Street, the Washington Street property recently acquired by Winchester Hospital and the Shannon property off of Forest Street.
As always, financial and budgetary concerns are foremost on the Town’s agenda. Meeting the demands of providing essential public services in the Proposition 2½ era is challenging enough without the unprecedented growth in student enrollment, the spike in global energy costs and the budget busting effect of double digit increases in health care premiums for the Town’s valued employees. The Board of Selectmen has made the budget its highest priority and has instructed me to expedite the budget planning process in order to provide ample time to consider policy initiatives and creative solutions. To help facilitate this process, the Town has engaged the firm of Municipal Benchmarking, Inc. to produce a comprehensive set of revenue and expenditure data comparing Winchester with a group of 23 comparable communities. In addition, the Selectmen will lead a forum this fall to consider a number of budget ideas they generated throughout the summer that might assist the Town in meeting the budget challenge for Fiscal Year 2008 and beyond.
Finally, the Town has begun an aggressive public education and marketing campaign to encourage Winchester residents to recycle. In the current solid waste market, each ton of solid waste recycled will save the Town at least $75. We intend to engage the entire community- schools, civic groups and each resident to meet this important goal.
So, the school year has begun and we’ve taken on a full courseload. With hard work and support, I am confident that Winchester will make the grade!
posted by Mel Kleckner at 8:38 AM
