All around Western Massachusetts small towns are preparing for annual Town Meeting. This process, rooted in volunteerism and democracy is important to appreciate and acknowledge. As one of seven volunteers on the Shutesbury Finance Committee, I am awed as the FY23 budget we worked on for the past nine months comes together. We have had to adapt to the changes that COVID has brought — Zoom meetings, cost increases, and uncertainty in our individual and collective lives. We relied on support and input from our legislators, all our town departments, our town administrator, local and regional boards filled by volunteers, our employees and our citizens. An incredible amount of time listening, thinking and discussing goes into achieving a balanced budget. This year, the Shutesbury Finance Committee examined a myriad of challenges — navigating a contract for trash hauling and disposal that doubled in cost, the need for a new dump truck, police and fire vehicles, salary alignment for employees who are compensated well below the private sector, a financial software upgrade, negotiating a regional school assessment formula, and seeking funds to replace our school roof and our 120 year-old library, to name the big items. The 178 lines in our recommended budget represent hours and hours of research, debate and problem solving. When we present this to our townspeople at annual Town Meeting on May 21, I hope two more items will be on people’s minds: allocating a measure of respect for the employees, service providers, and volunteers who carry out the work that keeps our town running; and recognizing all taxpayers as we support each other, needed services, and the infrastructure of our town …. all for the common good.
Susie Mosher
Shutesbury Finance Committee