Budget cuts hit Boonsboro hard

September 08, 2009|By MARLO BARNHART

BOONSBORO -- The first round of state budget cuts hit the Town of Boonsboro right around Labor Day and, as Mayor Charles F. "Skip" Kauffman Jr. predicted, they're going to hurt.

"I was a little surprised," Kauffman said of the fiscal year 2010 budget at the monthly town meeting Tuesday night.

Revenues from the highway user fund had been estimated at more than $170,000, but a cut of 90 percent brought that figure to around $16,000, according to Town Manager Debra Smith.

Even a $50,000 grant the town signed for in 2007 for a heritage museum has been reverted to the state.

Because of the cuts, plans to overlay town streets have been put on hold. Money for street cleaning and street repairs also has been seriously eroded.

Councilman Kevin Chambers said there is probably only enough money now to fill in some pot holes.

"We knew this day was going to come," Smith said.

She told council members some state money that hadn't been spent has been sent back.

Councilman Rich Hawkins said the cuts haven't affected town operations, but that might change.

"We're cutting out some of the fat," Kauffman said. "Next round could be down to the bone, such as layoffs."

So far, cuts to the FY 2010 town budget have totaled $186,889.

Kauffman said townspeople need to be prepared for tough times.

"We towns always get the crumbs and we've been very fortunate to get our share of the crumbs, but things are going to get tight," Kauffman said.

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