|
|
|
Background…
I've initiated a long range plan
for Haverhill, called The Haverhill Plan, with my Long Range
Planning committee. It is a work in progress, but I want to share
the draft with you now to incorporate your ideas.
The highlights
of The Haverhill Plan are provided below. For a more detailed
presentation on The Haverhill Plan, download the following file:
[ Download
Presentation - PDF ]. If you wish, you can review the presentation
and blog your comments, including your recommended changes or
new ideas by clicking here.
The Haverhill Plan will be updated
based on your comments and any additional information that we
discover. We are also planning on a series of Town Meetings to
get your direct feedback.
The end game is to complete The
Haverhill Plan, win City Council approval and begin implementing
the plan when I take office. Of course, as you will soon see,
I have already begun to implement many aspects of the plan.
If you prefer to send comments
on the plan by email instead of blogging, please forward them
to john@michitson.com.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HAVERHILL PLAN
|
|
Community Vision |
|
Key challenge: Haverhill needs a strong community vision. |
|
Michitson Administration response: |
- Below are some of the elements
that will drive my administration and help us all strive for
and achieve the best for Haverhill and its residents.
|
- Haverhill is viewed as a strong,
safe and caring community where people and history connect.
|
- The good work of past generations
"refreshes/breathes fresh life" into Haverhill's community
spirit.
|
- Haverhill's physical and human
resources are prized.
|
- Haverhill is seen as rich in
opportunity where ideas and "change for the better"
flourish:
|
- Strong principles and common
sense are the cornerstones of every action. Hard work and decency
are measures of success.
|
- Haverhill is a proud community
that respects and values its partnerships:
|
- What is best for the community
is a common goal of "team" effort. Concessions are
not seen as weaknesses.
|
- I will take action to preserve
the environment.
|
- Implement city-wide single stream
recycling, preserve open space and use renewable energy to extent
possible.
|
- This is our Community. This
is the essence of "Take Pride, Take Charge." Share
the Vision.
|
|
|
Budget and Revenue
History |
|
Understanding the
underlying fundamentals to help plan for future |
- Taxes have been at the proposition
2 1/2 max since at least FY02.
|
- In FY04, Mayor Guerin reduced
the size of City Government by approximately 46 employees to
downsize City for post-Hale era.
|
- From FY05-FY08, under Mayor
Fiorentini, the following factors allowed us to maintain status
quo and mask our financial problems until FY09/FY10:
|
- Good economy w/supportive State
Aid increases.
|
- One-time revenue (e.g. sold
property, State’s yearly Hale bailout stipend).
|
- Deferred Hale Hospital debt
payments.
|
- In FY09/FY10 – the mask
on our financial problems lifted by global recession leading
to reduction in State funding.
|
- Resulting in municipal lay-offs
and draining of financial reserves.
|
- Recurring revenue has not kept
pace with budget increases.
|
- Employee health insurance and
pension costs continue to pose a long term fiscal risk.
|
- The Hale Hospital cost ramps
up in 2010. It will reach over $12.5M per year.
|
- Still no long range financial
plan to address: huge Hale cost, Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO)
(minimum of $20M), Landfill Cap (~$40M), Renovation of Hunking
& Whittier Middle School facilities etc.
|
|
|
Integrated Performance-based
Budgeting and Long Range Planning |
|
Key challenge: There is no long term plan to meet the
structural budget deficit resulting from the Hale debt. |
|
Michitson Administration response: |
- I will formulate a performance-based
budget by first defining citizen service needs and the minimum
acceptable performance goals with a focus on strong public safety,
public works and education.
|
- The next step is to determine
the cost and refine the plan according to priorities if too expensive.
|
- Efficiency and effectiveness
to minimize taxes are the goals.
|
- I will formulate a five year
budget, where the first year is voted on, while the remaining
years provide a perspective for prudent decisions.
|
- Finally, I will build a 5 year
financial plan that includes measures to generate new recurring
revenues, such as luring emerging industries to expand tax base,
and measures to reduce cost, such as capital planning and consolidation.
|
|
Key challenge: There is no comprehensive 5-year capital
improvement plan that has been submitted to the City Council
for action. |
|
Michitson Administration response: |
- Planning has been a cornerstone
of my platform since my very first campaign 15 years ago. These
are concepts I live by and communities from all over the country
have proven them to be successful.
|
- The City must have an active
and published list of known problems with City-owned property
and obligations
|
- Known structural or infrastructure
problems such as leaking School roofs, problematic heating systems,
street repairs, etc. must be defined today to support future
year planning and expected costs.
|
- All high-value property that
have a limited life expectancy (re: Police Cars, Fire Trucks,
Computer Equipment, etc) must be defined and understood as to
when this equipment will require replacement or significant refurbishment.
|
|
|
Leadership in
Education |
|
Key challenge: The School Committee's adversarial posture
does not build a sense of community for education in Haverhill. |
|
Michitson Administration response: |
- A strong and visionary chairman
(the Mayor) of the School Committee will bring us renewed enthusiasm.
The season of adversaries will be over: the time of cooperation
and understanding and tolerance will be here.
|
- Schools will be at the center
of the community.
|
- Mentoring and tutoring will
be the linchpin in bringing a strong sense of community and enduring
success to our schools.
|
- We will aggressively identify
what is working and what is not in schools and establish measurable
goals and accountability.
|
- We will create partnerships
between our schools and industry to expand our children's horizons
about their possibilities.
|
|
|
Leadership in
Economic Development |
|
Key challenge: Haverhill was not a major player in
first round of emerging technology industry growth in Merrimack
Valley. |
|
Michitson Administration response: |
- Surrounding communities have
already managed to attract the businesses that mean good jobs
and tax dollars. It is time for Haverhill to get its fair share.
Let us not be discouraged or timid in building a bright economic
marketing platform for emerging companies and technologies, as
well as our traditional industries.
|
- If Haverhill has any hope of
a substantive program of economic development we must begin to
market ourselves on a regional level by building local, regional
and even global partnerships. Businesses small and large should
be confident that the community is committed to this.
|
- We need an aggressive approach
that is willing to communicate, search for and market to industry,
making them aware that we are ready willing and able whenever
they are.
|
|
 |
|
