Date: Fri 06-Feb-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

selectmen-budget

Full Text:

Selectmen Continue To Pare Down Budget Proposal

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The Board of Selectmen reviewed the town budget once again Monday night,

making a few final cuts in its effort to reduce the impact of the spending

package on taxpayers.

As it now stands, the selectmen's budget represents an increase of about 3.1

percent over the current budget, which stands at $25,092,273. In that amount

are offsetting revenues and expenses associated with sewer hook-ups, so the

actual figure is more like $23.5 million.

"I think it's a reasonable budget," noted First Selectman Herb Rosenthal. "If

you take out a few capital items, you're looking at hardly any increase at

all."

Those items include a $280,000 fire truck for Hawleyville and a $100,000

restroom project at Dickinson park.

The selectmen may still make one final pass through the budget before sending

the proposed package to the Legislative Council by February 21. However, the

numbers are not expected to change much.

Last month, the selectmen cut out about $900,000 worth of agency requests,

most of that coming out of the public works budget. This week, the selectmen

trimmed nearly $100,000 more.

Heading the list of budget casualties was $50,000 removed from the Parks &

Recreation request. The department had been seeking $150,000 for the purchase

and installation of a pre-fabricated restroom facility at Dickinson Park. The

selectmen felt that project could be completed for $100,000.

The board also opted to hold off on the purchase of one of the requested

police cruisers, saving an additional $29,000. On the advice of Selectman Joe

Bojnowski, the selectmen also cut $12,000 out of the police computer system

request, figuring it could save as much as $900 on each computer purchase.

Other cuts included $2,000 worth of office supplies in the parks and

recreation and police departments.

"This is our contribution to a paper-less society," Mr Bojnowski joked.

The selectmen also added some funding to areas they had previously cut back in

January. The board put back $1,500 into the Family Counseling Center's

request, bringing their budget back up to $18,000. The selectmen had a change

of heart after touring the counseling center's facility two weeks ago.

Newtown Youth Services also received an additional $1,500.

The selectmen (along with clerk Jan Andras) have been putting in some long

nights in recent weeks as they struggle to balance the needs of the town

departments with what the taxpayers are willing to pay.

"Essentially, my take on it is if you look at expenses, not capital, right now

my feeling is the expense end will be quite a reasonable number in the end,"

said Mr Bojnowski.

The Board of Education is proposing a $32.9 million budget, an increase of

nearly 10.5 percent. That, too, will require final approval from the

Legislative Council before heading to the taxpayers in the spring.