Greenwich RTM Approves $501.3M Budget, Largest In Town History

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Representative Town Meeting's annual May budget meeting has traditionally stretched close to midnight, with plenty of debate and discussion about what to keep and what to delete from the next fiscal year's spending plan.

However, on Monday night, the RTM needed just 80 minutes — time spent mostly on procedural tasks — to approve the fiscal year 2025 budget of $501.3 million, the largest in Greenwich's history.

No cuts were made to the budget, which passed by a vote of 194 in favor, three opposed with one abstention. Two bonding resolutions were also soundly approved.

The budget represents about a 4 percent increase over the current budget of $482 million. The mill rate is projected to increase by around 2.8 percent over last year, although the final number is not set yet.

Notably, the budget includes $43 million for much-needed renovations at Old Greenwich School, and funds for various Department of Public Works projects, like $2.8 million for improvements along the Glenville Road corridor, and $3.7 million for signal timing improvements along Route 1. There is also $2.4 million set aside for new fire pumpers.

The full school operating budget of $192.6 million was approved.

In brief comments at the start of the meeting, Board of Estimate and Taxation Chair Harry Fisher spoke about the "record number of capital expenditures."

"We need to work on how the town plans for current future capital expenditures, including having much better information about anticipated costs and future projects," he said.

James Waters, the RTM's Budget Overview Committee (BOC) chair, also spoke about the need to reel in the capital budget and planning processes. Waters said that interim appropriations for projects are not reflected in the budget, providing an "incomplete picture" on the cost of running the town.

"We've seen large swings in the capital planning process, as new projects emerge, stale data is refreshed, and prioritization remains elusive," Waters added. "BOC continues to believe major town projects need more oversight, similar to how major school projects require a building committee."

The RTM will reconvene for its regularly scheduled meeting on June 10 before it takes a summer break.