North Haven Announces Modified Process For 2020-21 Budget

NORTH HAVEN, CT — Officials announced Wednesday a modified process for North Haven’s 2020-21 budget due to the new coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order on March 14 that suspended all in-person open meetings and authorized public meetings or proceedings to be held remotely by conference call, videoconference or other technology.

Lamont also issued an executive order on March 21 that further dispensed with any in-person voting requirements including referenda and town meetings requiring in-person votes for purposes of adopting 2020-2021 fiscal year municipal budgets and setting the mill rate.

The order further “provides that the Board of Selectmen shall authorize the Board of Finance to adopt a budget for the July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021 fiscal year and to set a mill rate,” according to a news release.

The Board of Selectmen will meet electronically May 7 to vote to “authorize the Board of Finance, as the budget-making authority, to comply with the mandatory requirements” of the executive order and adopt a budget and set the mill rate. The Board of Finance will be meeting electronically on May 20 to vote on adopting the Budget for the FY 2020-2021 and set the mill rate.

Residents and taxpayers can view the proposed budget on the town’s website here.

First Selectman Michael Freda and Superintendent Patrick Stirk will present to the public an overview of the 2020-2021 budget at 6 p.m. on May 14. They will answer questions during each of their separate presentations on May 14. Those questions must be submitted in advance through voice message by calling 203-234-1076 or email to questions@northhaven-ct.gov. Questions must be received by close of business May 12.

The presentation will be broadcast live via North Haven TV (NHTV) and NHTV’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MyNHTV/. NHTV is available for Comcast/Xfinity subscribers on channels 20 and 1084 and Frontier subscribers can view the presentations on channel 6053.

The video will be made available on the Town’s website at www.northhaven-ct.gov.