Town’s 2011-2012 Spending Package Approved

The town’s proposed 2011-2012 fiscal spending package has been approved by a vote of 419 to 216. 

The 2011-2012 budget plan is $34,015,978, a .9 percent increase over the current budget. It will result in a tax increase of .19 mils or .73 percent. Owners of a home with a market value of $361,429 and an assessed value of $253,000 will pay an additional $48 in taxes.

The Board of Finance set the budget levels at a workshop in May and limited the selectmen’s and education budgets to 1.5 percent increases. That resulted in a proposal that is $93,000 less than the Board of Selectmen requested and $286,000 less than the Board of Education sought.

The Board of Education’s budget is $22,618,066. 

The Board of Selectmen’s $9,212,920. 

Debt service is $2,071,000 and the Board of Finance budget, is $105,350. 

First Selectman Richard Barlow said he felt the boards put forward responsible budgets. 

“I think we’re all pleased that it passed,” he said. 

Board of Education Chairwoman Beth Kandrysawtz had similar thoughts.

She said she was pleased voters supported “town services and the education of our kids.” 

“Both the board and the town put forth responsible budgets,” she said. 

A total of 446 voters said yes to charter revision changes while 166 voted no. However, 1,024 voters were needed to validate that portion of the vote.

The charter changes would have affected the elections and emergency portions of the charter. 

The impetus for change was the portion of the current charter that states: “A political party may nominate and an Elector may vote for one (1) candidate for First Selectman and not more than two (2) other candidates for the Board of Selectmen.”

At meetings earlier this year, selectman David Gilchrist Jr. said the second number always was and should be three instead of two. During the last revision process, charter revision commission members had considered staggered terms and changed the language to reflect that and forgot to change the 2 back to 3, he said. 

After the information came to light earlier this year, selectmen appointed another charter revision commission, which changed election language and added a proposal for staggered terms. 

Barlow said he is disappointed the charter changes will not go into effect for the November election. 

“I think the unfortunate thing is electors will not be able to vote for two of the four selectmen,” he said. 

Selectmen Bruce Lockwood, who advocated for the staggered terms, said he agreed with Barlow and is also disappointed the emergency section changes will not be implemented. 

The changes would have allowed a third selectman to declare a temporary state of emergency in the absence of the first selectman and deputy first selectman. 

“A failure to get the charter changed leaves a hole in the continuity of government,” Lockwood said.

A total of 636 people voted in the referendum, just 9.4 percent of the town’s 6,737 qualified voters.