Councilman's Column by Jesse Alber

Time for Penny Pinching I was pleasently suprised by the progress made during the June 9, 2009, Blue Hill City Council Meeting. Over the past few months, I believe the council has taken some very good steps to monitor expenses and revenues for the taxpayers of Blue Hill. Some of the council's penny pinching measures include: 1) Rebidding of the lease for the Adams County farm ground, resulting in a generous increase in revenue for the city's water fund. The new lease is also for a 3 year term. 2) Discontinued publishing of many announcements, resolutions, ordinances, notices and other public notices not required by state law to be published in the newspaper of record. These notices are either posted in three public places or available at City Hall. Beginning this month publication of an abbreviated record of Minutes of city council meetings was also approved. Combined these efforts should save the city over $2,000 a year. Full minutes of city council proceedins will still be available upon request at City Hall. 3) Elimination of rug service for the Community/Senior Center and city buildings. It will be much less expensive for the city to purchase and maintain there own rugs than continue with the service. 4) Reducing pest control services for city facilities from 12 months to the six months over the summer season. 5) Changes implemented in the compensation structure for pool management and staffing proceedures at the pool should help to offset the increase in the minimum wage taking effect this summer. 6) Eliminating the position of Treasure on the City Cementery Board and assigning these responsibilities to the City Clerk's office. All of these measures are relatively small by themselves, but all of these pennies add up. In a time when it is common for elected representatives to ask their constituents to tighten their belts while they waste countless taxpayer dollars, I am quite proud of the council's efforts to reduce even the most modest expenditures. All those pinched pennies can quickly add up. Often times we continue to do things because thats the way they have always been done. With some many big issues on the agenda at recent meetings, it is easy to overlook the little things that really make a big difference. Special aknowledgement should go out to Councilwoman Doris Hartman for her initiative and support of many of these measures.