Welcome

A hearty welcome to Newburyport Today readers. This is the blog I talked about. Please pardon our appearance during renovation (and the last gasp of school summer vacation.) It really gets quite titillating around here, I swear.

To my loyal reader(s), I've been invited to write a monthly column for Newburyport Today. The first went up today. Same theme as the blog, just a longer presentation. Please enjoy.

Once I'm smart enough to figure out how to hook up an RSS feed you may be able to read it here (while actually reading it there.) I don't know about such things.

Anyway, welcome again to the newbies and thanks to the diehards for their continued interest.

BTW, while I have your attention. I'm a big fan of the relaxation of the leash law, but a little message to dog owners at Cashman. KEEP YOUR DOGS OFF THE BIKE TRAIL! I don't mind slowing down a bit, but c'mon.

That is all.

Woe is Us

So can $1.5 million in free cash ever be problem?

It wouldn't seem to be the case. The city should be commended for running a bit in the black in these tough financial times, as the Daily News reports today. A surplus certainly beats a deficit as many other communities can attest.

But we wouldn't be us without looking at potential pitfalls.

Schools -  Ed Cameron mentioned the possibility of restoring some lost programs at the school. I'm not sure if the appetite is there, particularly since this money might be a one-time shortfall if tax receipts take a dip next year in a sagging economy. But what impact will this $1.5 million have on any override or debt exclusion votes for the new schools? Will people feel the city has enough to pay debts without more taxes?

Candidates - Anyone hoping to run on the platform that the city is fiscally mismanaged may have a hard time getting traction. The case would be much easier to make with a $1.5 million deficit.

Unions - Will public employee unions be emboldened to ask for more next time around. Union negotiations with Holaday have been largely uneventful - with the firefighters as the notable exception. Could that change?

Personnel - Does the city's decision to cut the part-time conservation commission agent seem an overreach now? I think the salary with that position was approximately $30,000. A surplus of this magnitude suggests that might have been money well spent. The deal to share a conservation agent apparently fell apart, according to the News.

Just some quick thoughts. I think city officials might have done themselves a favor by clearly spelling out what financial cuts/decisions have been made to bring this budget in line, such as personnel and program cuts. This would have made the surplus look more like the result of good management rather than good fortunate (and new revenue streams like the meals tax and, to a lesser extent, parking.)

But once the state certifies the existence of the cash I'm in complete agreement with the horde that we've got some infrastructure in woeful need of improvement. SIDEWALKS!

P.S. Cameron does a good job of putting the free cash total in perspective on his blog.

Got a Feeling

Back in 1997 when I was covering Newburyport City Hall, I thought I'd be writing the final chapter of the Water Front Saga when then Mayor Lisa Mead and Wannabe Hotel Developer Roger Foster agreed on a plan that that would pave the way for the hotel's construction.

I obviously was a bit naive.

Last week's NRA meeting gave me a similar feeling. The people present - while I agree not a guaranteed representative of the city at large - seemed receptive to the idea that we'd have to build on some of the waterfront to pay for the desired open space.

Today, the Masked Preservationist confirmed that the tide is turning with this little post, "The Final Word on the NRA, Paid Parking & The Waterfront."

If this is the best he's got.....