It was neither the time nor the place to spend an underestimated $40,000 on filling a newly-created position of recreation director. Yet the Town of Canton’s aldermen unanimously agreed to do it. The motivation was public pressure. People wanted the aldermen to do something for children.
No funds were appropriated for new recreation programs. It was presumed the new director would help pay for his position by getting more people to use the town’s more-or-less abandoned recreational assets.
The position would be funded with a transfer from Canton’s fund balance. Town Manager Al Matthews has been recommending a tax increase to offset fund balance declines, but the aldermen were opposed.
On the bright side, the aldermen did not approve filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the town planner.
