Residents May Sound Off On Town Budget Proposal

Enfield residents will get a chance to speak with town leaders regarding the proposed 2011-12 budget during a "community conversation" Thursday.

The forum will begin at 7 p.m. at the Henry Barnard School, 27 Shaker Road.

Town Manager Matt Coppler has recommended a $113.8 million budget for next year, a slight increase of less than one-tenth of one percent over the current year's $113.1 million.

For the fourth consecutive year, the tax rate would stay at 23.88 mills under Coppler’s proposal. A mill is equivalent to one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.

"Matt delivered a no tax increase budget to the Town Council, which for the taxpayer is very good news," Mayor Scott Kaupin said.

About 55 percent of the annual budget is devoted to education. The school board allocation in Coppler's proposal is just over $62.7 million, the same as the current year.

A major restructuring of the elementary schools is slated to begin for the 2011-12 school year. The Thomas Alcorn and Harriet Beecher Stowe Schools will be closed, and the remaining seven buildings will be divided into K-2 and 3-5 alignments. Sixth-graders will attend Kennedy Middle School beginning in September.

"Flat funding is not the worst scenario we could be in - the worst would be getting cut," Board of Education Chairman Greg Stokes said. "With the re-organization, we look to save about $1 million. There are no raises this year in the Enfield Teachers Association contract, and with 15 teachers retiring, we don't anticipate overwhelming layoffs. Our fixed cost increase will be 2.4 percent next year, compared to 8 percent this year."

The town side of the budget proposal is about $51.1 million, with the Public Works Department accounting for the largest share at $16.4 million. Public safety is budgeted at $11.6 million, the public libraries at $1.5 million and development services at $1.2 million. General government expenditures make up the remaining $20 million, Coppler said.

One currently-vacant position in record services would be eliminated under the plan, while a new position would be created in development services. "There would be no net loss of jobs" under the proposal, Kaupin said.

The statutory public hearing on the budget will be Wednesday, April 27 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Enfield High School, 1264 Enfield Street. Residents may speak at that meeting, but there will be no direct interaction as in the community conversation.

The Town Council is scheduled to approve a budget by May 17.