Annual Town Meeting on 2013-14 Budget Tonight

Farmington residents will have an opportunity to hear and be heard on the 2013-14 town operating budget at the Annual Town Meeting tonight in the Farmington High School auditorium at 7 p.m.

Presentations will first be made by the Town Council, town manager, the Board of Education and superintendent, followed by public comment and a vote. Residents may also make a motion to amend the budget, which also would be voted on by those eligible voters in attendance.  

The total proposed general government budget is $92,020,738, representing a 1.87 percent increase over the previous year. It includes $25.3 million, representing a 2.51 percent spending hike for town operations; $56.5 million, a 1.96 percent increase for education; and $2.56 million for capital projects.  

The budget also includes a 9.36 percent decrease in debt service and a slight increase in revenues. The $92 million is made up of $83 million from the tax levy and $9.26 million, of which the town is anticipated to receive $6 million in state and federal grants. The Appropriations Committee of the General Assembly on Friday made counter recommendations to Gov. Dannel Malloy’s controversial budget, however, altering the amount of state aid to municipalities and final numbers are unknown.  

Town Council Chairman Jeff Hogan said the budget addresses four main goals: maintaining current services, adding modest increases in accounts that have been underfunded over the last few years, increasing capital funding to follow the council’s policy and significantly increasing the pension allocation.  

Also in the budget, the town proposes to address holes in its emergency plan, discovered after the 100-year storms Farmington weathered in the past few years. Proposed items include communications equipment that will allow the Farmington Police dispatchers to relocate, and generators, one that would allow for a second or alternate emergency shelter at Irving A Robbins Middle School. Both measures are to ensure the town can still provide the services should New Britain Avenue by the police department or Route 4 by the high school be flooded.  

The generator at the middle school is included in one of the town’s three bonding questions – one authorizes $3 million in bonds for road repairs, another $1.1 million in bonds to replace the heating system at Irving Robbins and the third $1.375 million in bonds for parking lot improvements, the emergency generator and tennis court replacement all at Irving Robbins.

The schools portion of the budget includes money for technology upgrades, notably the addition of wireless networks for the district’s elementary schools, wireless devices and 9.7 new teaching positions be added throughout the district.  

If approved at referendum May 2, the council’s proposed budget would increase the mill rate from 21.9 to 24.07, an increase resulting in part from the recent revaluation. The impact for an average homeowner (as defined as someone owning a house valued at $232,074) would be a decrease of $84.69.  

Any eligible voter may make a motion to change the budget at tonight's Town Meeting — either by increasing or decreasing it. For a motion to change the budget to pass, at least 300 eligible voters must be present at the Town Meeting, with two-thirds of those in attendance voting in its favor.  

If a quorum isn’t met, then no changes can be made to the proposed budget and it then proceeds to a machine referendum vote on May 2. If the budget is voted down at the referendum, the Town Council will reduce the budget and another referendum will be held.  

The bonding questions – sometimes overlooked on voter ballots - are outlined below:  
1.“SHALL THE BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF FARMINGTON PRESENTED BY THE TOWN   COUNCIL AND RECOMMENDED BY THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING FOR FISCAL YEAR   2013-2014 BE APPROVED?    YES NO”  

2. “SHALL THE TOWN OF FARMINGTON APPROPRIATE $3,000,000 FOR REPAIRS TO   AND RECONSTRUCTION OF VARIOUS TOWN ROADS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, AND   AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS AND NOTES IN THE SAME AMOUNT TO FINANCE   SAID APPROPRIATION?    YES NO”  

3. “SHALL THE TOWN OF FARMINGTON APPROPRIATE $1,100,000 FOR REPLACEMENT   OF THE HEATING SYSTEM AT THE IRVING A ROBBINS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND AUTHORIZE   THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS AND NOTES IN THE SAME AMOUNT TO FINANCE SAID   APPROPRIATION?    YES NO”  

4. “SHALL THE TOWN OF FARMINGTON APPROPRIATE $1,375,000 FOR PARKING   LOT IMPROVEMENTS, INSTALLATION OF AN EMERGENCY GENERATOR, AND TENNIS   COURTS REPLACEMENT AT THE IRVING A ROBBINS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND AUTHORIZE   THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS AND NOTES IN THE SAME AMOUNT TO FINANCE SAID   APPROPRIATION?    YES NO”  

EXPLANATORY TEXT - QUESTIONS 2, 3, and 4  

If approved, resolution #2 will appropriate $3,000,000 for costs related to repairs to and reconstruction of such various Town roads and drainage systems as may be determined by the Town Manager and the Town Engineer from time-to-time, and will authorize the issue of bonds, notes and temporary notes in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000 to finance the appropriation. The appropriation may be spent for design, installation and construction costs,   engineering and other consultant fees, materials, equipment, legal fees, net temporary interest and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project.  

If approved, resolution #3 will appropriate $1,100,000 for costs related to replacement of   the heating system at the Irving A. Robbins Middle School, and related work and improvements. The appropriation may be spent for design, installation and construction costs, engineering and other consultant fees, materials, equipment, legal fees, net temporary interest and other   fi nancing costs, and other expenses related to the project.  

If approved, resolution #4 will appropriate $1,375,000 for costs related to parking lot reconstruction and improvements (estimated cost $950,000), installation of a generator to enable use of the school as an emergency shelter (estimated cost $225,000), replacement of the Tennis Courts (estimated cost $200,000), and related work at the Irving A Robbins Middle School. The appropriation may be spent for design, installation and construction costs,   engineering and other consultant fees, materials, equipment, legal fees, net temporary interest   and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project.