The start of the new budget year for area cities and towns today brings the deepest service cuts and highest number of layoffs in years because of the slack economy.

However, the impact varies considerably from community to community, with some having no layoffs, others losing dozens of municipal and school personnel.

Reductions in services range from cuts in office hours to streetlights being shut off.

Here's some of what area residents can expect in their communities:

Attleboro The transition to the new fiscal year should be relatively seamless. With no layoffs on the city side of government, residents should not notice a big change in services, officials say.

However, since all 340 city workers have agreed to take the equivalent of 10 days without pay, offices and departments will be short-staffed at times.

Meanwhile, 38 positions that have been vacated through attrition or other means over the past couple of years will remain vacant to help the city balance its budget.

But in at least one area, service will get better. The city plans to deliver barrels for single-stream recycling in August, making it easier for residents to dispose of their recyclables. That program comes without a fee increase.

In addition there were no increases in the water and sewer rates.

North Attleboro

Among the immediate changes North Attleboro residents may notice will be the absence of lifeguards at Whiting's Pond and earlier closings of town departments on Fridays.

While donations have buoyed lifeguard positions at the Falls Pond beach, which opens today, Whiting's Pond remains unstaffed because of budget constraints, Conservation Administrator Shannon Doyle said. The Falls Pond beach, while staffed, will now be open fewer hours, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Because of the July 4th holiday, departments at town hall and other town departments will close Thursday at 2 p.m., which is two hours earlier than usual. In the following weeks, to save money, town departments will close at 2 p.m. on Fridays, Town Administrator Mark Fisher said.

Layoffs may be noticeable in various departments, including the fire department, which is losing three firefighters, Fisher said. Mansfield

Layoffs will hit several Mansfield town hall departments today as the town tries to maintain services, while dealing with plummeting revenues.

The park and recreation, building inspection, assessors and finance departments will all lose full-time positions, while others will have employee hours scaled back. While the town is expecting to maintain all their services, the response time may be slower with the cuts.

Library users will see a slight cut in hours, with the building closing at 4 p.m. on Saturdays instead of 5 p.m. The town will also suspend the library's Sunday hours from October through April.

The town will also leave 40 percent of its streetlights off in the coming year as a belt-tightening measure. The move could save the town up to $65,000 annually, local officials say.

Foxboro

Foxboro residents, meanwhile, face no new fees or service cuts.

The town expects to pocket nearly $3 million in new growth tax revenue this fiscal year from such developments as Patriot Place, the Chestnut Green commercial and residential project and the 250-unit Lodge at Foxborough apartment complex.

However, Finance Director Randy Scollins said, "we'll see as the next quarter rolls on," whether services continue as planned.

Norton

In Norton, new fees for the town pool took effect June 22.

Individuals are charged $3 per day or $30 for the 10-week season, while families pay $5 per day or $50 for the season. Each fee will double for non-residents. Swimming had been free at the Everett Leonard Park pool off Parker Street.

Also, highway, police and dispatch services will be "further strained" due to jobs cut and vacant positions not being filled, Town Manager James Purcell said.

Purcell said he continues monitoring Norton's revenue collection, which would affect services.

Wrentham

Offices will have shorter hours open to the public.

The town is losing the equivalent of several full-time positions through three retirements and the elimination or reduction in hours of several positions. The areas affected are the conservation commission, board of health, planning board, building department, and selectmen's office. A public health nurse is retiring. That post is not being filled, along with an assistant town clerk.

Now that $40,000 was added to the library budget, a position was saved, but Library Director Mary Tobichuk said the library "had to cut back at the circulation desk. It is going to take longer to check books in and out. The lines are going to be longer."

Town officials are working to implement cost-saving measures such as shutting off streetlights, Town Administrator Jack McFeeley said.

The budget is about $2 million short of what is required to retain all services and is about $600,000 less than this year's spending.

Plainville

The town clerk's office and highway department have layoffs, and the school department faces staff reductions, as well.

Town Administrator Joe Fernandes calls the budget the worst he has seen in his 17 years in his position. "Not since the start of Proposition 2 1/2 have I seen something this bad," he said.

Norfolk

The town and schools are losing several positions.

They include a foreman in the department of public works, the planning board's administrative assistant, and employees in the offices of the assessor, zoning board, selectmen, town clerk and conservation commission.

The elementary schools have to cut seven teachers, Superintendent Don LeClerc said, adding that class sizes will increase slightly.

At the library, Sunday hours that had ran from October to April will be only from January to mid-April, Library Director Robin Glasser said, adding there will be fewer personnel working at the same time when the library is open. Also, the hours of the children's assistant have been reduced. "We will probably have fewer preschool programs," Glasser said.

Seekonk

In spite of the state's financial crisis, town government is managing to provide the same level of services as in past years.

The school budget of $18.6 million includes nearly $600,000 in cuts, including $265,551 in entitlement grants, $100,000 for special education, and some staff reductions, including an English teacher at Seekonk High School. Athletic supplies, the purchase of textbooks and computer lease payments were also cut.

At the June town meeting, finance committee Chairman Kim Leinson noted the fiscal process had been "extremely challenging," and said voters "need to be mindful that further cuts can be made at any time."

Rehoboth

The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District has had to cut $1.2 million out of its budget, and that includes four teachers - including a music teacher at Beckwith Middle School, the family and consumer science program at both middle schools, as well as several teachers aides and support staff positions.