Council prioritizes town services
By LAURA CHILDRESS

With municipalities across the area facing budget cuts in an uncertain economy, the Little Elm Town Council spent Tuesday evening preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.

Although the extent of a possible shortfall in revenue the current fiscal year remains to be determined, the council spent Tuesday’s budget worksession developing a policy to prioritize town services in the event that budget cutbacks are needed.

Mayor Frank Kastner noted that while a reduction in personnel would be the last step taken should budget cuts become necessary, the council needed to identify its “sacred cows,” the things in each department they felt residents couldn’t do without.

“We need to identify what needs to happen day in day out to keep the town alive,” he said. “What level of services do residents expect?” The council agreed that emergency police and fire personnel were critical for the public’s safety and, therefore, undebateably at the top of the priority list.

“We do not want fire protection and police protection touched,” said Councilwoman Brenda Mills.

Others identified as personnel critical to the town’s daily operations included those involved with water and wastewater operations, finance, building inspections, solid waste, criminal investigations, the department heads, town manager, town secretary and fire marshal.

As for the first areas to be considered for possible personnel cuts should they become necessary, the council recommended the library, parks, animal control, administrative assistants, facilities management, fleet and vehicle maintenance, non-essential street maintenance and community services.

Across the board, the council agreed that positions remaining open should be carefully reviewed. Other areas that could be scaled back included travel and training, non-emergency overtime, uncontracted consultant services, non-essential dues and subscriptions and town-sponsored events. The council added that capital expenditures should be reviewed and fuel curtailment efforts should be put in place.

Town Manager Ivan Langford noted that the department heads have already been looking at areas to scale back and staff have already initiated a fuel savings policy.

“We’re looking at such things as are we buying the right vehicle for the right job,” he said, noting the possibility of the use of utility carts for meter readers.

The council authorized the town manager to prepare the policy for adoption and to seek staff input on the stages at which various levels of cutbacks would become necessary.

Councilman David Hillock stressed that the policy was not an indication that budget cutbacks would be necessary the upcoming fiscal year.

“This is purely a long-term planning exercise,” he said.