January Budget Meetings for Current Fiscal Year

During the month of January, I attended all four combined Finance Committee and Select Board meetings held on Thursday evenings. These were Finance Committee meetings with the Select Board attending and participating. The combined meetings had eight people, five from the Finance Committee and three from the Select Board.

I watched and listened each week as eight people reviewed with great concern the town’s budgeted line items for the remainder of this fiscal year. There were many opportunities for thoughtful discussion about all of the budget details and a careful concern was demonstrated for the needs of all departments contained in the town’s budget.

All eight members deserve recognition and praise for their combined efforts during this tight budget time. This process was not taken lightly and everyone participated.

Something else I learned during these combined meetings has to do with the plowing of some of the roads in Ashfield:

Route 112 is plowed by the Mass DOT (Mass Department of Transportation formerly Mass Highway).

Route 116 from the intersection of Rt. 112 and Rt. 116 down Main Street to South Ashfield and all the way to the Conway town line is plowed by the Mass DOT.

Route 116 that departs from the combined Rt. 112 and Rt. 116 near Sanderson Academy and continues all the way to the Plainfield town line is plowed by the Ashfield Highway department.

Paullette Leukhardt