Ridgefield Voters Approve 2024-25 Town & School Budgets

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Residents went to the polls on Tuesday and approved the $168 million total 2024-25 operating budget proposed by the Ridgefield Board of Finance, according to town officials.

The new spending plan represents a 3.88 percent spending increase over the current year.

The budget includes $45.9 million for town operating expenses, and $7.29 million for debt service, a 2.89 percent increase over the current municipal plan.

The newly approved 2024-25 budget also includes $115 million for the schools, a 3.97 percent increase from the 2023-24 budget.

The new numbers will increase the mill rate from 25.81 to 26.35, translating to a 2.09 percent hike in taxes.

Residents also voted to approve the issuance of bonds covering:

• $2.7 million earmarked for road improvements;
• $1.0 million for sidewalk improvements and three Highway Department trucks;
• $1.2 million for renovations to the Recreation Center and the library; new mowers for Parks & Rec, and the construction of new pickleball courts;
• $1.2 million for police and fire department radios, cancer prevention gear, and a new ambulance
• $1.2 million for repairs to Mountain Road Bridge, Shadow Lake Dam, and Lake Mamanasco Dam
• $1.1 million for upgrades and renovations for schools' safety, classroom furniture, and visual/performing arts equipment
• $1.0 million for Cass Gilbert and Olmstead Lane Fountain repairs; elementary school ADA playground upgrades; and the design and acquisition of a townwide safety report

Here are the full results as posted by Ridgefield officials on the town's website:

1) “Shall the recommendation of the Board of Finance relative to the appropriation of $50,545,667 for Town expenditures (consisting of Town operating expenditures of $43,257,080 and debt service of $7,288,587 on both Town and Education capital projects) for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025, be approved?”
YES 879
NO 214

2) “Shall the recommendation of the Board of Finance relative to the appropriation of $115,041,000 for Board of Education expenditures for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025, be approved?”
YES 801
NO 293

3) “Shall the recommendation of the Board of Finance relative to the appropriation of $2,669,250 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of various Town road and ADA improvements for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025, be approved?”
YES 953
NO 139

4) “Shall the resolution appropriating $270,000 for the design and acquisition of a highway dump truck with plow, $131,734 for the design and acquisition of a highway lowboy truck, $498,000 for the design and acquisition of a highway vactor truck and $150,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of sidewalk improvements; and authorizing the issuance of $1,049,734 bonds of the Town to meet said appropriations and pending the issuance thereof the making of temporary borrowings for such purposes (provided that the bonds shall be reduced by the amount of any grants received for such purposes, which are anticipated to be $150,000 for sidewalk improvements), be approved?”
YES 866
NO 224

5) “Shall the resolution appropriating $123,000 for the design and acquisition of a multi-deck golf mower, $101,177 for the design and acquisition of a parks and recreation mower, $387,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of new pickleball courts, $120,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of recreation center bathroom renovations, $163,963 for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of recreation center divider doors, $106,370 for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of recreation center HVAC controls, and $222,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of a library material handling system; and authorizing the issuance of $1,223,510 bonds of the Town to meet said appropriations and pending the issuance thereof the making of temporary borrowings for such purposes, be approved?”
YES 777
NO 313

6) “Shall the resolution appropriating $503,000 for the design and acquisition of portable Police Department radios, $134,235 for the design and acquisition of portable Fire Department radios, $190,075 for the design and acquisition of Fire Department cancer prevention equipment and $401,594 for the design and acquisition of an ambulance; and authorizing the issuance of $1,228,904 bonds of the Town to meet said appropriations and pending the issuance thereof the making of temporary borrowings for such purposes, be approved?”
YES 925
NO 161

7) “Shall the resolution appropriating $725,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of Mountain Road bridge repairs, $325,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of Shadow Lake dam repairs, and $187,500 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of Lake Mamanasco dam repairs; and authorizing the issuance of $1,237,500 bonds of the Town to meet said appropriations and pending the issuance thereof the making of temporary borrowings for such purposes (provided that the bonds shall be reduced by the amount of any grants received for such purposes, which are anticipated to be $500,000 for Mountain Road bridge repairs and $500,000 for Shadow Lake and Lake Mamanasco dam repairs), be approved?”
YES 884
NO 194

8) “Shall the resolution appropriating $395,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of auditorium renovations at Veteran’s Park Elementary School, $165,210 for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of District-wide school safety and security upgrades, $258,148 for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of District-wide LED lighting upgrades, $160,000 for the design and acquisition of classroom furniture at Ridgefield High School, and $114,100 for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of District-Wide visual and performing arts equipment; and authorizing the issuance of $1,092,458 bonds of the Town to meet said appropriations and pending the issuance thereof the making of temporary borrowings for such purposes, be approved?”
YES 847
NO 241

9) “Shall the resolution appropriating $390,019 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of Cass Gilbert Fountain repairs, Olmstead Lane Fountain repairs and Peter Parley School House grounds upgrade, $225,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of elementary school ADA playground upgrades, and $400,000 for the planning, design and acquisition of a Town road safety report; and authorizing the issuance of $1,015,019 bonds of the Town to meet said appropriations and pending the issuance thereof the making of temporary borrowings for such purposes (provided that the bonds shall be reduced by the amount of any grants received for such purposes, which are anticipated to be $320,000 for the Town road safety report), be approved?”
YES 865
NO 222