Message to Budget Committee - "Adopt Best Practices"

In a letter hand-delivered to Town Hall on Monday, 3/5/07, I proposed a series of changes aimed at improving the quality of the Budget Committee's work product and at increasing public awareness and involvement in committee proceedings.
My letter was addressed to the Board of Selectmen, Budget Committee Chair Dick Hickok, and Town Administrator Evans Juris.

After attending several of the committee hearings this year, it is my belief that the budget committee - and the taxpayers they serve - would greatly benefit from the discussion and adoption of a series of "best practices". These best practices could be identified through focused committee discussions of their process, and through contacts with other budget committees throughout the state.

The complete text of the letter is shown below.


3/5/07

To: Richard Hickok, Budget Committee Chair
       Connie Grant, Selectman
       Allie Boucher, Selectman
       Dennis Doten, Selectman
       Evans Juris, Town Administrator

Re: Gilford Budget Committee

As you know, I am a candidate for an open position on the Gilford Budget Committee. I attended many of the committee meetings this year, including both public hearings and one subcommittee working session.   It is my belief that the budget committee - and the taxpayers they serve - would greatly benefit from the discussion and adoption of a series of "best practices". These best practices could be identified through focused committee discussions of their process, and through contacts with other budget committees throughout the state.

I am submitting the following list of suggested best practices as a starting point for the discussion, and I would ask that they be considered during the upcoming season - whether or not I am an official member of the committee.
  1. Provide training for new and existing budget committee members. I understand that some formal training is (or was) offered through the State. If this program has value, attendance should be mandatory for all committee members. If not, an alternate training session should be developed. The public deserves to have new (and existing) members who have gained a basic understanding of the committee's role, the budget process it follows, and its overall mission.
  2. Develop baseline standards / guidelines for the budget review process. As I understand it, there is no standardized approach for subcommittees as they go about their work of reviewing the budgets of individual departments. As a result, some subcomittees may delve deeply into the smallest budgetary details, while others conduct a considerably less intensive review. For consistency, and to assist department heads with their preparations, some baseline standards and guidelines would be beneficial.
  3. The committee should take full advantage of e-mail and the internet to increase public awareness of and involvement in their proceedings. Suggested solutions include the following:
    • provide taxpayers with the ability to "opt-in" to learn about budget committee issues and schedules. Using technology well-established in the business world, residents can quickly and securely sign up to receive targeted information about upcoming committee hearing schedules and votes - delivered via e-mail. Residents could choose their area of interest, and be automatically notified of relevant committee actions.
    • More official information about the budget committee proceedings should be available online - including voting records for each member, summaries of department budgets and committee recommendations, and a balanced presentation of any issues that are disputed. Meeting minutes are not enough - as they are lengthy and unfocused. The information presented online should be officially sanctioned by the budget committee and presented on the town website, or an alternate website created for this express purpose.
  4. The budget committee should double the number of public sessions. The committee currently holds the minimum number of public hearings allowed by law - one for the school budget, and one for the town budget. These sessions are held late in the season after much of the committee's work has been completed and minds are made up. Holding at least one additional public session for each budget earlier on in the season would allow members to receive public feedback earlier in their decision-making process.
I appreciate your consideration.

Sincerely,

Dale Dormody
Gilford Budget Committee Candidate