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Main Page Dartmouth voters strike down library, $750,000 for officer
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Posted by: kwflatbed

By Curt Brown , Standard-Times staff writer
DARTMOUTH — Voters yesterday rejected both a $750,000 override to pay the medical expenses for a police officer who suffered a catastrophic injury and a $3.9 million debt exclusion for a new North Dartmouth Library.
The vote for a Proposition 21/2 override to pay the medical bills of David Mello, a 47-year-old officer who was severely injured in an accident last November, failed 2,119 to 1,962.
Since it was determined that Officer Mello was injured in the line of duty, the town is responsible for his medical expenses. Officials last night said the money now must come from the town's regular operating budget.
Only three of the town's 10 precincts supported the override.
The debt exclusion for the North Dartmouth Library failed 2,694 to 1,423 and lost in every precinct.
It marked the second time in the last 16 months that voters have defeated a ballot question for a new library in North Dartmouth. Voters also rejected it at the annual town elections in April 2005.
The total construction costs for the library is $6.3 million, but it would have been offset by a $2.4 million state grant, leaving the town needing to pass a $3.9 million debt exclusion.
Town Clerk Eleanor J. White said last night she didn't know the number of blank ballots and therefore was unable to determine the percentage of voters that voted. However, she said, it appears turnout was in the low 20 percent range.

Town officials expressed disappointment and surprise at the outcome in the ballot question for Officer Mello.
"It's a sad day, a very sad day for the town," Nathalie L. Dias, chairwoman of the Select Board, said last night.
Town officials felt the override was essential in order to maintain the same level of services. In light of the voters' rejection of the override, they said they will now have to go through the department budgets and make some hard decisions and some cuts.
"We have to make up the difference somewhere, cut services somewhere," Mrs. Dias said. "I don't know how we'll do that."
In the past, town officials have said the three largest town departments — the School Department, Police Department and the Department of Public Works — stood to be the most severely impacted if the override failed.
Mr. Gagne said last night the task is more difficult since it is two months into the 2007 fiscal year and department budgets were underfunded by almost $3.5 million.
"Now the formidable task is ahead of us," he said. "We're going to have to meet our obligation."
He said he expects to begin the process today with a meeting with Edward F. Iacaponi, director of budget and finance/treasurer.
Library officials said the voters' overwhelming defeat pretty much kills any plans for a new North Dartmouth Library in the near future.
"I can't see going forward with any kind of building," Andrew Couto, a library trustee and the chairman of the building committee, said last night.
Trustees said they will discuss the future of the North Dartmouth Library at their meeting on Sept. 12.
"Something has to be done with the existing North Dartmouth branch," Mr. Couto said. "I don't know if it is worthwhile to put too much into that building."
Many voters, interviewed yesterday at the polls, said their biggest stumbling block with the library was its large expense and the town's present financial plight.
"I don't think it's a good thing with the town being financially strapped," said Myron Chamberlain after voting at the Cross Road Fire Station.
Frank Graci said he voted against the library because of his concerns about its impact on taxes.
Town financial officials have said the average Dartmouth taxpayer would pay $20 in the first year of a 20-year bond and decreasing amounts over the life of the note.
Voters who supported the library said they felt it was necessary and would allow everyone to have the same access to information, noting that many people don't have home computers.
"Libraries are one of the great equalizers of society," said Derek Sachs after voting at the Dartmouth Youth Athletic Association.
The new library, proposed for a 10-acre parcel on Cross Road, would have replaced the antiquated North Dartmouth Library on Tucker Road. Library officials have said the present facility is too small for many activities and cannot be made handicap-accessible.
Voters interviewed at the polls were split on supporting a $750,000 override for Officer Mello.
Some who voted against it said they generally don't like the idea of overrides, while others worried about the impact on their taxes. Town financial officials had said the average taxpayer would pay about $40 more per year in taxes.
But other voters described passage of the override for Officer Mello as "the right thing to do."
"Officer Mello has given so much to this town," said Donna Sachs after voting at the DYAA.
Fran Pettengill said he voted for the override because many layoffs would be likely if it didn't pass.
"If you don't pass it, it will put the town in turmoil cause they will have to get the money from somewhere and with 85 percent of the budget in salaries ... it doesn't take a genius to figure out where they'll get it from," he said after voting at the Bridge Street Fire Station.

Contact Curt Brown
at cbrown@s-t.com
Date of Publication: August 16, 2006 on Page A05

Posted by: SOT

They just screwed themselves BIG TIME.

Posted by: Vino5SJ

I hope the New Bedford CAT team is redeployed to Dartmouth's neighborhoods.

Posted by: kwflatbed

Town looks for money to pay officer's medical bills
By Curt Brown , Standard-Times staff writer
DARTMOUTH — Town officials yesterday began what they called "the challenge" of identifying $750,000 in their budgets to pay the medical bills of a paralyzed officer after voters rejected an override to pay them.
Michael J. Gagne, the town's executive administrator, said the town now faces a $5 million revenue gap between expenditures and budget requests that must be dealt with at the fall Town Meeting in October. That gap previously stood at about $4.3 million.
"We'll look at our legal obligations, department priorities, town priorities and then see what are the discretionary funds," he said.
He said nothing has been decided as to what will be cut or funded. However, he stressed that Officer David Mello's medical bills are "an obligation" the town must meet.
Mr. Gagne added he is confident in the town's ability to get through "the challenge."
"We will work it. It's an exercise and it will take a lot of collective minds," he said.
Yesterday — the day after the election at which voters also rejected a $3.9 million debt exclusion for a new North Dartmouth library — Mr. Gagne met with Edward F. Iacaponi, the town's director of budget and finance/treasurer, and Police Chief Mark Pacheco. In addition, he spoke with each Select Board member.
Mr. Iacaponi acknowledged the town didn't have a fall-back plan for what to do in the event the override failed.
Mr. Gagne called it "premature" to speak with municipal unions about possible concessions in their collective bargaining agreements or go to the voters again for another override.
He said the idea of special state legislation to help the town pay Officer Mello's bills hasn't been discussed, but would be "tremendous," and added the town is always interested in other revenue sources.
Mr. Iacaponi said, as of yesterday, the town has secured $1 million in personal injury insurance for police officers. He said all other employees are covered under workman's compensation insurance.
He said they have worked for eight months with their insurance consultant to find the $1 million policy.
The town had $100,000 insurance coverage for police prior to Officer Mello's injury then raised it to $200,000 afterwards, he said.
"We thought we were cutting-edge," Mr. Iacaponi said.
The town will pay $83,000 to American International Group for the coverage. He said Dartmouth is the first community in the state to have this high level of coverage.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Steve Russell expressed his personal disappointment over the defeat of the override, and said the School Department has already approved "a worst-case scenario" budget in June that would only require tweaking depending upon what Town Meeting does in October.
Some of the items at risk under this worse-case scenario budget include cuts to reading teachers, custodians, after-school programs and reductions in music and athletics.
"Right now we'll continue to keep the focus on the kids, which we should do, and plan for a successful opening of school," he said.
The town must provide $1.3 million in required net school spending to the School Department, but there is a $468,459 difference between the school budget and minimum net school spending that is in jeopardy.
Department of Public Works Superintendent David Hickox and Chief Pacheco also expressed their disappointment over the defeat of the override.
"It was going to be a tough year for the department," Mr. Hickox said. "This makes it more difficult."
Chief Pacheco said he is braced for the worst.
"I know it will be devastating for our department. There is nowhere to cut," he said.
He said he has 56 officers, but five are out on "injured on duty" status. The total department complement when he became chief a few years ago was 64 officers.
The chief said he thinks a detective position and the school resource officer may be cut as well as traffic safety; sworn and civilian staff will have to double up on their duties.
Special community events (for example, canine demonstrations) for which the officer was paid with either overtime or compensation time will have to be eliminated.
He said there may also be situations where people will have to come into the station to make a report instead of having an officer visit a person's home.
"To say we'll be devastated is an understatement, but the town has spoken," he said.

Contact Curt Brown
at cbrown@s-t.com
Date of Publication: August 17, 2006 on Page A05

Posted by: sdb29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vino5SJ

I hope the New Bedford CAT team is redeployed to Dartmouth's neighborhoods.

Just curious- What's the New Bedford CAT Team?

Posted by: RPD931

Quote:

The town had $100,000 insurance coverage for police prior to Officer Mello's injury then raised it to $200,000 afterwards, he said.
"We thought we were cutting-edge," Mr. Iacaponi said.

They are obviously unaware of current medical rates/costs. Morons.

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