Opinion: Staffing Shortages Imperil Belmont

By Paul Joy

In the last few months, Belmont’s trajectory toward the fiscal cliff has accelerated with alarming speed. The School Committee has already been asked by the Select Board to find ways to plug a $2.1 million funding gap in its proposed FY2024 budget. These budget shortages, projected to continue in FY2025 and beyond, would require untenable cuts to our schools and first responders. 

Are we capable as a town of changing our trajectory? Of investing in growth and renewal? In my opinion, as the co-chair of the Economic Development Committee (EDC), we must change. We must act now to develop and implement a comprehensive community compact and framework—starting with addressing the serious staffing shortages in the Community Development department. 

Currently, the Community Development department is down four or five positions, including a code inspector, a town planner, a zoning and bylaw enforcement official, and a town engineer. This situation has resulted in an increased workload for the remaining staff and has made it incredibly difficult for the department to pursue grants and respond to other departmental requests. The town administrator’s office acknowledged these staffing shortages in a letter to the town board, committee, and commission members on January 9, writing “Currently, there are three employees in the Office of Community Development that are balancing the work of seven positions.”  

This letter was in many ways necessary due to Glenn Clancy’s December 12, 2022, Select Board presentation, where he brought these staffing shortages to the attention of the board and the public. Clancy, Belmont’s director of the Office of Community Development, highlighted the staffing shortage’s impact on processing building permits, staffing committees, and pursuing grant funding. He argued, and I wholeheartedly agree, that additional staff is needed to effectively serve the needs of Belmont and keep up with an ever-increasing workload. 

Let’s talk briefly about Community Development’s role in staffing volunteer committees, including the EDC. Staff are responsible for attending meetings (often after hours), scheduling meetings and agendas with the Town Clerk’s office and the chairs of each committee, and responding to committee member requests. Currently, Community Development is staffing the following committees: 

• EDC
• Historic District Commission
• Planning Board
• Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
• Master Plan Committee
• MBTA Multifamily Zoning Committee

Community Development staff also regularly attend and present at Warrant Committee meetings, Select Board meetings, Capital Budget Committee meetings, and Town Meeting. 

As co-chair of the EDC, I have seen the impact the staffing shortage has had on our committee and elsewhere. In response to this crisis, the EDC is currently studying and benchmarking Belmont’s business origination process with those of other towns, especially those pertaining to opening a new restaurant. We have found that the current ZBA and Health Department processes involving significant commitment from Community Development staff have reduced the number of new restaurants to around three to four per year. Restaurants and bakeries often have six-plus month wait times, which is unacceptable and significantly higher than in neighboring towns and cities. We think having a more streamlined process will assist Community Development’s overall efficiency.

People often ask, “Why do we have so many empty storefronts in Belmont?” While this is a complex and multifaceted problem, lessening the regulatory burden on small businesses by reducing the number of required meetings and hearings and allowing Community Development to approve requests directly without unnecessary permitting processes will only increase the effectiveness of this department. 

Furthermore, adding staff to Community Development—especially the Planning Board—will improve our ability to attract new businesses and strategize with town leaders on how to increase commercial tax revenue through new business formation. This is paramount given the proposed cuts to our schools and other town departments. 

The Community Development department’s staffing shortages are significantly impacting the department and the town. If we are serious about creating a viable, long-term compact with Belmont residents, I urge the Belmont Select Board to take action to address this issue as soon as possible. By providing additional resources to Community Development and acting on the EDC’s recommendations to reform business formation, we can ensure that the community’s needs are met and that our town can continue to thrive.

Paul Joy is co-chair of Belmont’s Economic Development Committee.