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Bruce to look at $958,800
budget for 2010-11

by CHRIS GRAY
Observer Staff Writer

      Bruce Township officials are looking at one of their most conservative budgets yet for the 2010-11 fiscal year.
       Following a budget workshop held on March 2, the Board of Trustees have agreed upon $100,000 in cuts, equating to a proposed budget of $958,800.
       A public hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 17, prior to the board's approval of the budget.
       The budget comes from an environment where the township's state shared revenue is down by $30,000 to $40,000, and property tax revenue has decreased by $75,000.
       Supervisor Jim Tignanelli said the budget is about 10 to 12 percent lower than last year's budget, but doesn't reduce services to residents. For example, staff members have agreed to work at least five days without pay.
       "We cut around $100,000 out of the budget without reducing staff or services, and that is tough to do in a place that has an exclusively part-time staff," he said. "We made some cuts that we'll feel, but I don't think the residents will feel them."
       Additional staff reductions include not using overtime and not budgeting for any capital improvements like new office equipment.
       "We are looking at trying to make things last longer," he said.
       Tignanelli said other cuts to the budget included reducing the number of dust control treatments for dirt roads from three to two, saving about $9,000. He said this could change depending on how bad the roads get.
       The township has also scheduled fewer meetings for the Planning Commission, budgeting for 10 meetings instead of 12 for a savings of $1,000.
       "That might not seem like a lot, but when you're trying to save money it matters," he said.
       A total of $25,000 has been moved out of the fund balance to balance the budget.
       A hot topic in the township has been retiree health care. Clerk Susan Brockmann said the board will look at transferring $30,000 from designated funds to handle the costs for the upcoming year.
       "We anticipate additional savings as we move forward, so if we get the costs down we will transfer the remainder back to the balance," she said.
       Meanwhile, health care costs are going up by about 10 percent.
       "A couple of years ago we switched to a high deductible health care plan with an HSA account," she said. "This has substantially reduced increases<as opposed to 15 to 20 percent, we expect this year to be under 10 percent."
       Other cost reductions include sending out requests for proposals for the township's auditing services as well as for property liability and worker's comp insurance. Brockmann said in switching auditors the township will save up to $10,000.
       Areas the township couldn't cut include budgeting for three elections to be held in 2010.