Wrentham School Committee, Town to Work on Financial Roadmap

Board of Selectmen Chairman Joseph Botaish came to Tuesday's Wrentham Elementary School Committee meeting to discuss the town's efforts to control its finances.

Botaish said he wanted the town departments to look at and prepare for their future needs.

"What we're trying to do is create a realistic roadmap for the next five years," he said. "Our new growth annually is about $250,000, but our shortfalls have been over $1 million."

Botaish said he believed the town had cut as much as he could.

"We can't sit and say, 'You have to work within your budget,'" he said. "I believe the budget process should allow you to run your department without a noose tightening around your neck."

He said he did not believe town departments are asking for too much.

"You hear that the school committee wants more and more money — that's not the case," he said. "I look at the capital plan, and I see requests that are reasonable. If I see things that are not reasonable, I cross them off."

Committee Chairman Edward Goddard said the town is not as against new spending as some say.

"People have not said 'no,no,no' at town meeting," he said. "When reasonable requests have been made, they say yes."

Botaish said he believed better presentations at town meeting would help the town make decisions.

"The problem is they're saying no to what's being presented," he said. "We're working with King Philip programs to help."

He asked the committee to let the town government know what it needs.

"That's what we're looking for as we build this process," he said.