Tolland Town Council Chair Report

During meetings held on March 18, 19, and 23, 2026, the Town Council was presented with the details of the Town Manager’s recommended budget.

The Town Manager has proposed a budget totaling $66,392,570, which reflects a 3.4% increase from last year’s budget for both the municipal portion of the budget and the BoE portion of the budget. The Town Manager’s proposed mill rate would be 28.37 mills, which is an increase of 4.34% from the FY 26 mill rate of 27.19 mills. This proposed budget also includes the 5 Year Capital Improvement Plan.

During the three budget presentation meetings, the Council learned more about the budget for each department. I encourage members of the public looking to find all of the details of the Town Manager’s recommended budget to check out the town’s budget page, which can be accessed here: tollandct.gov/finance-department/pages/2026-2027-budget-information

One of the most important things to note is that, by far, the largest cost drivers for both the municipal and BoE portions of the budget are energy costs, payroll, and insurance. These are fixed costs the Council cannot change. There are no additional services being provided for in this budget.

The Council also held a meeting this Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 9:00am-1:00pm for a budget workshop facilitated by the Finance Director. This provided the Council the opportunity to learn more about the budget and begin preliminary discussions. No decisions have been made by the Council about the budget.

On March 31, 2026, at 7:00pm, the Council will hold a public hearing on the Town Manager’s recommended budget. Given the space constraints during last year’s budget public hearing, to ensure all residents have the ability to attend the meeting, this year’s public hearing will be held in the Tolland High School auditorium. Please note that although the hearing will be broadcast via zoom, due to technical limitations, there will not be an option for remote participation. All residents wishing to speak during the hearing must attend the meeting in person. As a reminder, residents may also submit written public comment via email to towncouncil@tollandct.gov. All correspondence received by noon on Monday, March 30, 2026, will be included in the meeting packet.

Finally, on March 24, 2026, the Council held a regular meeting. During the meeting I had the pleasure of reading a citation into the record honoring resident Anna Turner for the years she’s spent planting flowers at Crandall Park. The Council also unanimously voted to authorize the Town Manager to enter into a contract for a Historic Document Preservation Grant. The Council also set public hearings on the sale of a town-owned parcel of property on Susan Drive and to accept the Joe Sabbath Drive Extension and associated drainage infrastructure. Both public hearings will occur on April 14, 2026 at 7:00pm.