By Patrick Anderson
Staff writer
March 28, 2008 06:36 am ESSEX — Town officials have restored some money cut from the Youth Commission's fiscal 2009 budget — money they say should preserve the position of full-time youth director at least through this calendar year. In a meeting with the Youth Commission and selectmen Wednesday, the Finance Committee, which had proposed cutting around $26,000 in salary and health insurance benefits for the position earlier in the month, agreed to put $10,000 back in the budget. Yesterday, Finance Committee Chairman Jeffrey Soulard said the $10,000 was the maximum the town could afford without needing a property tax override, but should be enough to keep the youth director position as structured through 2009. "We felt comfortable that we could do this and it was fair," Soulard said. "The expectation is still that (the Youth Commission) should be self-funded after 2009." The Finance Committee expects to release its fiscal 2009 budget proposal for the town next week. The youth director, Marilyn Klypka-Simpson, runs and organizes Essex' recreational summer program as well as smaller year-round programs. The Finance Committee recommended the Youth Commission move toward funding the programs entirely through user fees by either raising those fees, using more part-time employees or a combination of the two. The youth director makes $21,000 in salary and the town spends another $15,000 in health insurance costs on the position. Soulard said last week that the amount of programming provided by the Youth Commission during the off-season did not provide enough benefit for the town to pay a full salary and benefit package for the director. Selectmen Chairman Mark Lynch said yesterday that his board had supported the addition of the $10,000 as a compromise that would give the Youth Commission time to reassess the structure of its programs and fees going forward while still saving the town money. "There was a $35,000 shortfall and, as a compromise measure, we will use $10,000 from the town budget to add to that," Lynch said. "The Youth Commission will look at fees and raising money as a way to deal with the current situation. They are going to look at the whole thing and see what changes could be made." The Youth Commission on Wednesday did not vote on any changes, including fee increases. Tricia Soulard, co-chairwoman of the commission, said by e-mail yesterday the panel planned to discuss the Finance Committee's recommendations at its meeting scheduled for next Thursday. Patrick Anderson can be reached at panderson@gloucestertimes.com
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