Nahant spending freeze may eliminate summer jobs

NAHANT – The town has not issued any pink slips but it’s tightening its belt bracing for the worst.As a result of mid-year cuts in state aid, a spending freeze is in effect and the town recently notified its seasonal employees they may not be needed this summer.Nahant Town Administrator Mark Cullinan said the spending freeze would affect some returning college students who expect their summer jobs to be waiting for them. Cullinan said college students are hired during the summer to work primarily in the recreation department and for the Department of Public Works.”We sent a notice to all summer employees informing them of the situation,” he said. “We don’t want these college kids coming back and expecting their job to be there when it might not be.”Cullinan said any summer positions that are not eliminated would be awarded on a seniority basis but until the state budget is finalized he doesn’t know how many positions, if any, the town would be able to fund this summer.He said the spending freeze includes a freeze on almost all overtime as well as purchasing of supplies.”A spending freeze would include freezing all discretionary spending,” he said. “That includes supplies and other items as well as overtime.”Cullinan said all town departments are cutting back on spending wherever it’s possible.”The fire department is cutting back on overtime by not bringing in a couple of extra guys for storm events,” he said. “We’re doing everything possible to save money in every department.”Police Lt. Thomas Hutton said Chief William F. Waters placed a freeze on overtime a couple of months ago and he is redeploying officers to different shifts whenever possible instead of paying overtime to cover shifts.Cullinan said one exception to the freeze would be overtime for snow and ice removal.”We can’t stop removing snow and ice,” he said. “But a spending freeze would mean no overtime other than snow and ice removal. It might mean not covering shifts in some departments but we just have to do the best we can.”Cullinan said the town is preparing itself for cuts in local aid for the current fiscal year but those cuts are only part of the problem.”Revenues are down,” he said. “The revenue is not coming in. People are not buying vehicles and people are making fewer home repairs due to the economy so we’re seeing a decrease in revenue from building permits and (motor vehicle) excise taxes.”