A Major RTM and BOC Goal Is to Help the Town Spend Tax Dollars Wisely

A BOC Opportunity

A major RTM and BOC goal is to help the town spend tax dollars wisely.

We spend much effort scrutinizing the budget (which is fine). But there are major expenditures that can be more efficient, for various reasons: inertia, vested interests, and political pressure.

Some examples.

1. The town pension fund (about $350 million) has underperformed year after year for about 10 years, consistently earning less than comparable pension funds.

2. Capital Improvement projects are often late and over budget. Hamilton Ave. School, for example, was $6 million over budget and more than a year late. When these projects go off track, the budget suffers. Should the BOC push for a new RTM committee to seek improved CIP efficiencies?

3. Two First Selectmen (a Republican and a Democrat) suggested that the tax collectors office be folded into the comptroller’s office, saving about $400,000 a year. This has not happened.

There may be other items. The suggestion is to choose a single area for potential savings, form a BOC task force, build a case and push for it.

No other RTM group can tackle these issues as well as the BOC. We are not burdened with many referrals from the moderator (almost none). We don’t have the budget building chores of the BET. Our mandate is budget efficiency. And there are substantial savings to be had. The idea is certainly worth looking into.

The Case for a Capital Improvements Committee

The two biggest cost areas of the Greenwich budget are employees and Capital Improvements.

The RTM has a Labor Contracts committee to try to influence employee costs. This is a complex process, involving union negotiations, state-mandated arbitration etc.

In contrast, Capital Improvements are more direct. The RTM either approves or withholds funds. But there is no standing RTM committee devoted to seeking efficiencies in the Capital Improvement process.

Are capital projects always models of efficiency? Consider:

The Hamilton Avenue school project was $6 million over budget and more than a year late. Kids had to be taught in trailers far longer than necessary. What went wrong?

The Public Safety Center was supposed to bring the police, fire department and GEMS (Greenwich Emergency Medical Service) together at one central location. Never happened. After construction started, it was found there really wasn’t room for GEMS. How come? Did anyone find out why and suggest planning improvements?

The town bought land on King Street some years back as a site for a new fire house to service Northwest Greenwich. Didn’t work. It was found later the land wasn’t suitable for a fire house.

The high school auditorium project was originally budgeted at $27 million. Then contaminated soil was found. The current budget is about $43 million.

No RTM committee can eliminate things going wrong. But an RTM committee could help search for efficiencies and ways to improve planning. The RTM approves the costs; shouldn’t it keep more of an eye on whether the town is getting its money’s worth?