Voters asked to pay more of county tab
During the upcoming round of annual town meetings, the Dukes County commissioners will once again ask Island taxpayers to pick up an increased share of the costs of operating two county departments previously included in the county budget.
In 2008 the Dukes County commissioners helped to erase a looming fiscal year 2009 budget deficit by cutting the integrated pest management and healthcare access departments by 50 percent. Taxpayers in the six Island towns agreed to kick in the rest.
This round, town voters will also be asked to dig a little deeper. The county's draft 2010 budget calls for spending $69,542 on pest control and $90,469 on healthcare access.
In the next fiscal year, the county commissioners want to reduce the county's contribution to 40 percent of the budgets and increase the towns contributions to 60 percent of the overall costs. The eventual aim is that the towns fully fund both programs.
Most of the money for county services directly under the control of the paid county manager comes from individual town assessments. Voters in the seven towns of Dukes County, which includes Gosnold, are often unaware of the amount because it does not appear as a line item on annual town meeting warrants. In FY 2010 that assessment will total $828,701.
Although included in the county budget, the Sheriff's Department, the Registry of Deeds, both headed by elected officials, and the Martha's Vineyard Airport, under the statutory control of the county-appointed airport commission, have self-sustaining sources of revenue.
The Vineyard Health Care Access Program runs a variety of programs designed to help Islanders obtain healthcare and insurance. There is a full-time staff and a board of directors. Utilizing grants, the program has also instituted a number of initiatives, including dental health outreach for children and seniors.
The Integrated Pest Management department is a one-man operation that primarily deals with rat control. T.J. Hegarty, county rodent control officer, offers his services to towns and Island residents at a reduced rate, according to county officials.
The 2009 county budget calls for the department to generate $20,000 in income for the county. The Martha's Vineyard Times recently spoke to county and town officials as part of an examination of how the department does business. Information was often not readily available and needed to be compiled by county manager Russell Smith.
From the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, 2008, to April 3, the pest control department took in $20,348. A ledger provided to The Martha's Vineyard Times shows 91 customers and the billed amounts but no dates of service.
The list of county clients includes residents, Island schools, and businesses. For example, the county billed the Edgartown, Chilmark, West Tisbury schools $300 each.
The county billed Sunrise Builders $110, Bernier's Market $325, and Morning Glory Farm $68. The Mattakesett Resort in Katama paid $5,175. The associated Winnetu Inn and Resort another $2,874. The county also billed the Martha's Vineyard Airport $2,350.
The county also provides free inspection service for municipal clients, such as schools and municipal buildings. Those clients are not charged unless remedial action is taken, according to Martina Thornton, the county manager's executive assistant.
The county pest control service covers insects, rats, mice, moles, and voles and provides no-cost education and consultation on bats and mammals such as skunks and raccoons, but it does not offer eradication service for those animals.
Although Mr. Hegarty is licensed to trap and dispose of raccoons and skunks, the county does not provide those services to generate additional revenue. Mr. Hegarty provides those services privately as part of a long-standing agreement.
Lenny Jason of Chilmark, county commission chairman, said that years ago when the towns initially requested that the county revive the program it was only for rats. He said that when former county manager Carol Borer hired Mr. Hegarty it was with the understanding that he would be able to continue his side business.
Mr. Hegarty said he is one of several licensed commercial vendors who offer the service. He said he works before and after hours and on weekends. He said he is careful to avoid conflicts. "The law stipulates that the county not refer business to me but allows me to refer business to the county and that's how it works," he said.
According to Mr. Hegarty, the county charges individuals $55 for an initial visit and $35 for a follow-up visit; companies pay $110 and $65 for a follow-up; and institutions pay $300 per year.
Mr. Hegarty said this week that affordability and the free educational aspects of the service have caused the uptick in revenues and increased calls for service. "With this economy, people are looking to save where they can," he said. "Overall, we offer the same services for a third to half of what commercial vendor charges."
As an example, Mr. Hegarty said that state law now requires schools to have a pest control program in place. He said the successful county bid was $2,000, compared with a $6,000 bid from a commercial provider.
Senior citizens and residents on assistance programs are not charged for service, Mr. Hegarty said, noting that the county service does not require an annual service contract. He said some commercial services offer lower per-visit fees than the county but require an annual service contract of $600 or more.
Several town officials contacted by The Martha's Vineyard Times endorsed the county service. Jennifer Rand, West Tisbury executive secretary, said the service has provided a huge savings for the schools. "When we had a rat problem at town hall a few years ago, we made a call, they came, did what they do and the problem went away," she said.
Tim Carroll, Chilmark executive secretary, echoed that view. "Schools have to have integrated pest management programs so we get that service. We're assessed according to valuation so I guess that means we have 18 percent of the rats. What I know is that voters in all six towns for the last couple of years have said if there is one thing we should save from the county programs, it's the rat guy."
Oak Bluffs town administrator Michael Dutton believes the service is fine, but descried the method of financing as murky. Mr. Dutton said, "If we're going to finance healthcare and pest control, just boost up the assessment. Tell us what it costs and we'll justify it to the taxpayers. Obviously they like the services, they've all passed it."
Jack Shea contributed reporting to this story.
