Kensington OKs budget

Elections for mayor and two council seats will be Monday

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

After 30 minutes of discussion and input from one resident, the Kensington Town Council unanimously adopted the $2 million Fiscal Year 2007 budget that was introduced last month, with few changes.

The last-minute changes made at the May 22 vote increased funding for sidewalk repairs and tweaked the description of the line item for trash collection.

The Town Council voted 3-1 to allocate an additional $20,000 from surplus funds to pay for sidewalk maintenance and reconstruction, raising that budget item to $75,000. Councilwoman Leanne Pfautz cast the dissenting vote.

Adding the additional money allows the town to ‘‘catch up on the backlog” of sidewalks needing repairs, said Councilman Al Carr, who proposed the increase.

Without a vote, the Town Council also decided to change the wording of a line item previously called ‘‘Outsourcing Trash” to ‘‘Refuse Collection.”

After a resident raised concerns about outsourcing trash collection permanently, council members decided to clarify the wording.

The allocation of $123,000 was not definitively for outsourcing trash pickup, but for allowing the town to investigate it as a possible option for the future, Mayor Lynn Raufaste said.

Trash pickup services have been outsourced since a town trash truck broke down last month.

Carr also suggested allocating funds to begin the process of placing utility wires underground at the town Safeway site, which is expected be re-built in its current place at Connecticut and Howard avenues in the near future.

Laying an underground conduit for the wires would cost $80,000 and completing the project would cost approximately $70,000 more, he said.

Carr ultimately withdrew the proposal from the budget talks for later discussion. The council later decided to seek consultation about the timeframe and costs of placing utility wires underground at the Safeway site before deciding whether to pursue it.

The approved budget projects approximately $1.6 million in revenues and uses $450,000 from the existing town surplus, allowing for more than $600,000 to remain in reserve.

The council dedicated $785,800 for general government expenses, including $217,900 for Town Hall revitalization — much of which was carried over from the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, intended for bathroom and kitchen renovations.

Public works expenses make up $1.2 million of the budget, including $240,000 for street repairs.

Sidewalk proposal dropped

The Town Council decided to stop pursuing the installation of a sidewalk on Oberon Street after hearing opposition from residents.

The town Transportation Committee, led by Carr, proposed a one-block sidewalk on Oberon Street after members walked through the community, evaluating pedestrian safety.

The block, located at the intersection of Oberon and Wheatley streets, was identified as a target for improved access to a nearby park, Carr said.

Following testimony from three residents of that area, Pfautz said that installing sidewalks without community support was something ‘‘I don’t appreciate.”

Typically, ‘‘the citizens of a particular street will say they need a sidewalk,” she said. ‘‘If the citizens are saying no, why are we pursuing it?”

In other news

The council adopted the county’s emergency management plan to remain eligible for federal disaster relief funding.

Kensington elections will be held from 6-9 p.m. at the Armory Building, 3710 Mitchell St.

Councilman Kenneth Goldsmith and resident Peter Fosselman are running for the mayor’s seat, and incumbent Councilman All Carr will face challengers David Beaudet and Jack Gaffey for two open council seats.