Garbage collection, water and sewage services, police, fire and emergency services are critical functions of city government, and a dynamic recreation department is a bonus, but I have no expectations that any of these services should be profit making.

It is laudable Waterville’s public works department generates income after requiring residents use prepaid garbage bags. Furthermore, kudos to the fire chief who is generating revenue since he established a collaborative ambulance service with Delta. Revenue generated from the fire department’s ambulance emergency services were in a set aside fund and initially capped at $150,000; the cap has just been raised to $300,000 by City Council.

While these funds are not to be considered an indicator of when to purchase a new fire engine, ambulance or other equipment, why shouldn’t these funds be in the Waterville general fund just like funds from garbage bag purchases? The Waterville police department does not nor should not have a special set-aside fund from money generated from traffic tickets to justify new equipment purchases such as body cameras that are currently under discussion. These budgetary decisions should be based upon municipal priorities and revenues. Similarly having a municipal pool, walking trails, public parks with playground equipment are not budgetary decisions dependent upon whether the recreation department generates user fees.

As a Waterville property owner and taxpayer, I want a city government that allocates the money it collects from me, city departments, the state and federal government or TIFs and bonds to be thoughtfully distributed with community input and in the annual budgetary process.

This process should identify and then prioritize what equipment, services, human resources etc. are needed and when they are needed regardless of whether a city department generates income or not.

 

Diane Weinstein

Waterville

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