First look at So Bo budget tonight

South Boston Town Council members will get their first look tonight at the Town's proposed $8.9 million budget for FY 2008-09. Whereas the basic operating budget for the upcoming year is proposed at $7,493,836 there are three new additions to next year's budget that cause it to rise to $8.9 million. The first of those items is the $734,221 that the Service Authority will pay to the Town to cover the water and sewer portions of the Town's general obligation bonds. Secondly, the Town has received a $640,000 Community Development Block Grant for a Community Health Center that is still in the planning stage and which may be used during the coming year. Also the Town has applied for a $114,400 grant to replace the Fire Department's first responder vehicle. South Boston is also applying for grants to fund two School Resource Officer positions in the Police Department in the amount of $60,676.

The proposed budget also calls for implementation of the Classification and Compensation Study for Town employees which was completed by Springstead Incorporated last year. That study called for salary increases of  5.9 percent with the actual pay increase for individual employees varying. The real estate rate will remain at 19 cents per $100 value which will be an increase of 1.7 cents per $100 due to increased real estate values  resulting from the recent reassessment of real property. The Town plans to hold a public hearing on May 12 for citizens to comment on the proposed budget and increased tax rate. The personal property tax rate will remain at $2.00 per $100 value and no other tax rates or fee increases are being proposed. Other items on the Town's agenda for the meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers on Yancey Street, include consideration of a resolution of support for a local Veteran's Health Clinic and a possible agreement of an Adopt-A-Street Program within the Town. That program would allow individuals or groups to adopt a street on which they would collect trash or litter on both sides at least four times a year.