EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow Town Council passed the $69.96 million operating budget for fiscal year 2024 at its May 23 meeting. The capital projects budget of $1.25 million was also approved.

Town Manager Mary McNally called the budget “fiscally lean” and “reasonable.” One position has been added to the rolls for the upcoming year, that of shared nurse for the Council on Aging and Health Department. McNally said the position was needed “to serve the needs of the elderly population” regarding wellness, blood pressure and vaccine clinics. Aside from that position the only addition to the budget are poll pads, electronic devices which Town Clerk Jeanne Quaglietti requested to facilitate more efficient elections.

Finance Oversight Committee Chair Dawn Starks said most of the increases to the operational budget are contractual obligations, health insurance and utilities. She noted that utility rates are fluctuating and are “almost impossible” to forecast but said that when stabilized they are expected to be lower than current prices.

Starks said that the school budget reflects an increase of 3.9% over FY23. Chapter 70 state aid has increased by $2 million, or 15%, more than last year. This is the “largest historical increase” the town has received in Chapter 70 and is due to a change in the formula used to calculate the number of low-income students in a school department or district. According to the new calculations, she noted 27.4% of students in the town fall into the low-income category.

Included in the budget is an increase to the water rate, from $3.60 to $4.20 per 100 cubic feet. Similarly, the sewer rate will increase from $3.75 to $4.10 per 100 cubic feet. Starks noted that the 3.5% increase to the water rate was due to ongoing upgrades at the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, from which the town buys its water.

Starks said the expected tax rate will be $19.36 per $1,000 of property value.

McNally explained that capital projects are prioritized by the capital oversight committee based on their impact on public safety, infrastructure and quality of life issues, as well as need and cost. There are six projects in the capital needs budget for FY24. Starks said the capital budget covers two cruisers, the replacement of a flat roof at Birchland Park Middle School, a new generator for the East Longmeadow Police Department, a lease payment for fire engine 2 and technology replacements for both the one-to-one Chromebook school program and public safety mobile computers and modems.

There are some additional projects for the DPW that have been bonded through the sewer and water enterprise funds, McNally said. She noted that $1 million in capital projects for a town of East Longmeadow size is not sufficient and will become an issue moving forward.

School Committee Chair Gregory Thompson, speaking as a resident, said $350,000 on top of Chapter 90 was “not a huge dollar amount for paving.” He asked if there was a long-term plan to address paving in the town.

McNally explained the state funding for roads has been “static” since 2012. “The frustration comes because we lobby our legislators and the [Massachusetts Municipal Association] because it’s marvelous job promoting what they’re lobbying for, but so far there’s been no result,” McNally told him, adding, “This is a state problem.”

McNally told him that a grant was used last year to supplement the state aid for roads. “We’re doing everything we can on an annual basis,” McNally said and encouraged residents to reach out to state Reps. Brian Ashe and Angelo Puppolo and state Sen. Jacob Oliveira.

“How do we catch up?” Thompson asked.

McNally responded, “We probably won’t,” pointing to the fact that the town also has sidewalk work to fund.

Town Council President Ralph Page said the DPW has created a list of streets, their conditions, the work needed and estimated cost. McNally assured him that the town is pursuing all funding options and noted it has applied for a MassWorks grant to fund the $2.4 million Chestnut Street Pump Station upgrade.
Resident Ross Levine asked if there is a “contingency plan” should the town vote to not fund the East Longmeadow High School project.

Page told him the council had not yet discussed it but that no backup plan has been identified. He said the Town Council will vote on a debt exclusion in November, which will be “based on real numbers that we get from the building committee.”

Levine commented that businesses may leave town and others decide not to locate there because of the 18.7% tax increase expected to result from the high school project. He also said residents who toured the high school at a forum on the project were told the building has “fantastic bones.” He said there should be “a creative way” to update the existing building to make it suitable for use.

“The voters of the town will have that choice,” when they vote, Page told him.