Boards Propose Budget at Annual Hearing

Several dozen town residents turned out for the annual budget presentation by the combined boards of selectmen, education, and finance, followed by a public hearing.

Following in the pattern of budgets since the financial crisis, the 2012-13 budget uses a combination of modest spending increases and application of fund balance to keep the mill rate increase under 2 percent.

Board of Finance chairman Michael Guarco said, “the combined capital and operating budget we present tonight, primarily funded via property tax via the general fund, is the fourth in a series of tight budgets which are reflective of the times while being both responsive and responsible to the community, its voters, and its taxpayers.”

While there is no formal commitment between the boards, Guarco explained, they operate on the understanding that mill rate increases should not exceed 3 percent over the next five years.

First Selectman John Adams presented the general government budget, while Board of Education Chairman Cal Heminway went over the highlights of the education budget.

The budget anticipates significant savings in the debt service payments representing a $130,000 decrease over the previous year. The cycle of debt service peaked in 2010. The effect on the budget from the new debt incurred from the January referendum will not hit the budget until next year.

The Town also expects a $30,000 savings from waste removal tipping fees due to the favorability of its new contract with the Connecticut Resources Recorvery Authority. The total proposed general government budget is $13,628,317, a .9 percent increase over the previous year.

The proposed budget applies $1,224,000 of fund balance to stabilize the mill rate increase to .59.

The Board of Education's proposed budget is $27,252,831, representing a 1 percent spending increase over last year. The primary means of keeping the increase so low was an agreement to a pay freeze by district teachers and employees. Insurance premiums for health care did increase, but not by as much as previous years, and the costs for benefits were levelled out by increasing the contributions of employees to their premiums.

Heminway said though fuel costs were increased due to rising energy prices, initiatives in the district have reduced energy consumption both in terms of fuel oil and electricity by 15 to 20 percent.

The most significant changes to the school budget concern the implementation of all day Kindergarten and an integrated pre-school. The cost for the programs will be borne mostly by the Quality and Diversity funds and a grant awarded to the district.

Staffing needs for the new programs will be met by cuts in special education personnel derived from the Special Education Review.

The new budget also proposes the addition of a teacher for Mandarin Chinese and the introduction of World Languages curriculum to the 5^th grade. Though the meeting was lightly attended, those in attendance choosing to speak were generally supportive of the budget.

Several residents voiced support for the education initiatives including the World Languages and all-day kindergarten with only one resident raising dissent over the plan.

The final budget proposal will be voted on at the Annual Town Meeting on April 23.