PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission on Thursday approved a $4,493,869 fiscal year 2022 budget without debate.

 

This budget — which was given a positive recommendation by the Finance Subcommittee earlier this month — is $1,059,797 higher than this year's budget. This increase in the spending plan is primarily due to several new grants for economic development, education, and public health programs.

 

The budget includes salary increases of $496,455 that are largely for the promotion of a senior planner to a program manager, hiring a senior economic planner, an additional planner, and an open administrative position.

 

Along with this is a 1 percent cost-of-living pay increase.

 

BRPC's overall benefits have increased by $193,231 from $640,138 to $833,369.  This is mostly due to more staff and staff having a larger amount of unused vacation or unused compensation hours.

 

Finance Chair Malcolm Fick said this budget is rather conservative in the sense that all of the revenue that has been projected is either secured or it is thought to be secured.

 

He pointed out a budgeted increase of more than 1 million dollars in revenue, which he said seemed realistic based on the actuals for the year that are "much greater" than the budget.

 

Fick also drew attention to the unsecured new projects line item, which was set at zero dollars.

 

"On the expense side, the way the condition works, most of the dollars go toward billable labor and labor-related expenses," he explained. "But this budget does a good job of maintaining the percentage of non-billable expenses and maintain the same overhead rate."  

 

BRPC Executive Director Thomas Matuszko said this budget is consistent with what the planning commission did last year.

 

The one "unknown" that he doesn't see as being too significant is the organization's office space on Fenn Street. BRPC's lease ends this year and it has been extended it to Nov. 1.

 

"We did put some funding in there in case we did have some moving expenses or upgrade expenses to our office," he added.

 

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting in-person meetings and travel, there is a decrease in the overall project expenses such as interest, equipment/software, legal, supplies meetings, printing, travel, and other direct program expenses from last year by $17,019.

 

The supplies line item remained level at $30,000 for the cost of vaccines for flu clinics conducted by the public health nurses that will be reimbursed by insurance.

 

Additionally, BRPC has District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) funding for the calendar year 2021 that extends to Dec. 31. The DLTA funding for the calendar year 2022 is included in the budget but is subject to approval by the state Legislature.

 

Also in this meeting, the Commission Development Committee announced that it had nominated John Duval for chair, Malcolm Fick for vice chair, Sheila Irvin for clerk, and Buck Donovan for treasurer. This will be brought up for a vote at the full commission meeting after the new fiscal year begins on July 1.