Turning off the lights in a section of Onset for an undetermined period of time was the latest strategy proposed by Town Administrator Mark Andrews for reducing the budget for the upcoming 2013 year during a March 21 meeting of the Finance Committee with Andrews.

The proposal is the latest in a list of ideas for reducing next year's budget that includes shutting down Town Hall on Fridays and laying off at least four full-time town employees.

Members of the Finance Committee expressed deep concern at the meeting about whether they would have a balanced budget ready in time for the April 23 Town Meeting. "I've been doing this for 28 years and I've never dealt with a budget like this," said FinCom member Larry McDonald, referring to his experience in business finance.

The town is currently facing a more than $2 million dollar deficit in the proposed budget for fiscal year 2013 which begins on July 1, with a reduction in both town and school services on the horizon.

The town can not pass an unbalanced budget during Town Meeting, according to the Chair of the Finance Committee Frank Heath. "We're asking the Town Adminstrator, the Board of Selectmen, the Superintendent, and the School Committee to come together with a consensus budget," he said after the meeting.

After receiving the budget numbers, the Finance Committee will be able to make suggestions on the articles being put forth to Town Meeting, Heath said.

The earlier a balanced budget is decided upon, the more time the town will have to assess what types of cuts to the budget are appropriate, according to McDonald. "We do not want to wait until the last minute to make a decision," said McDonald, "because those decisions are usually bad decisions."