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Fielding reviews finances and considers cutting telecom costs; roads, ambulance grant discussed
Summary
Council members reviewed year-to-date financials, noted a reduction in the town's negative net position compared with the prior year, discussed recent road expenditures and state road funding, and debated whether to replace an expensive Frontier landline and GoToConnect forwarding with lower-cost cell phones or Google Voice forwarding.
Town officers reviewed Fielding’s year-to-date fiscal position, recent road costs and recurring telecom expenses during the meeting.
Financial snapshot: a town finance discussion referenced a year-to-date negative position of roughly $68,587 compared with a larger deficit of about $180,000 at the same point the previous year. Officials said total expenses and revenues are showing improvement versus that prior period. The fire/ambulance line item and a previously received ambulance grant were cited as factors in revenue changes; staff also noted a clerical inquiry about a previously paid invoice that required verification with a vendor.
Roads and state funding: staff reported a recent roads-related bill of $33,000. Council members said the town receives state road funding in roughly two installments (described as "two chunks of, like, 30"), and they discussed working on mill rates before pursuing tax increases.
Telecom and internet costs: a multi-minute discussion focused on the town’s phone and internet expenses. The council said the Frontier landline currently costs about $200 per month and the town’s internet is about $60 per month; GoToConnect forwarding and related phone services were cited at roughly $182 per month. Members discussed replacing the landline and forwarding service with one or more cell phones or Google Voice forwarding to cut costs; options considered included moving to a single building cell phone, several town cell phones (~$50/month each), or a Google Voice routing arrangement. Staff noted technical constraints (some carriers did not work reliably) and that porting the existing number had been difficult in the past.
Why it matters: telecom savings could reduce recurring operating expenses. Road and ambulance costs affect the town’s near-term budget and reserve position. Council members agreed the town would survive the year without drawing on savings but observed reserves are at low levels compared with recent years.
Next steps: staff will review detailed P&L items, provide an itemized list of event and parade expenses on request, and explore lower-cost phone and forwarding options for the town’s main contact number.
