Buffetown town manager warns of revenue decline, proposes budget cuts and temporary interns

At a Buffetown Council work session on April 15, 2025, Town Manager Erin Nelson presented an initial review of the town’s general-fund budget and early projections for fiscal year 2026, saying the town’s current-year revenue is "looking about 670,000." She told the council she had focused on general funds, roads and the airport first and would address special-revenue funds and capital projects later.

Nelson told council members the administration is watching several revenue and expense levers closely. She outlined a planning scenario that assumes a 25% reduction in sales, TRT and resort taxes and said that would translate into "about a 20% reduction" in overall tax revenue under that scenario. On interest income, Nelson said the town could expect less next year if large capital withdrawals occur and recommended a conservative interest projection between "probably 20 to 35 k." She flagged fundraising and grant receipts as conditional items that would be added only when revenues are reasonably certain.

On expenditures, Nelson said she had broken legal fees into three categories — the lawsuit, work on the school project, and routine administrative legal services — and that total legal fees for the current year were tracking "probably be be in the just under a 100,000" range. For 2026 she proposed an estimated legal budget of about $37,000 based on a 2020–2023 average.

Nelson also proposed a staffing change to reduce costs: she said she had "zeroed out a budget for bookkeeper for next year" and suggested hiring temporary interns instead, estimating $14,000 for up to three short-term positions. That drew immediate pushback from council members. One council member said they "really do not like it" and warned about overloading existing staff and risking burnout for Aaron, who currently performs bookkeeping tasks. Nelson acknowledged the risk and said outsourcing quotes she had received were "astronomical," and that much of the town’s paperwork arrives on paper, making full remote bookkeeping difficult.

Council members debated options including a smaller remote contract, having the recorder write checks while accounting tasks are handled by an external firm, or restoring a scaled bookkeeper line in a later amended budget. Nelson said she would bring further cost detail and consult with the town’s accountant before final decisions: "I need to get Dave's input as to if that is something that the state allows us as municipality to do" with respect to reallocating appropriated capital funds.

Nelson closed by describing practical next steps: refine numbers with department leads (roads, airport), confirm grant and match expectations, and circulate a revised budget for further discussion. The council recessed for a brief break; the session recorded no formal motions or votes on these budget items.