Council Bows To Pressure And Restores Funds To Budget

By Steve Bigham

Under pressure to spend additional money next year, the Legislative Council did an about-face on two very large budget items late last week. Both the Board of Education and Parks & Recreation – two agencies with support from large special interest groups – appeared to finally get what they were asking for this budget season.

On Wednesday, the council put the lid on the proposed 2000-20001 budget. The grand total: $68,959,850, a 10 percent increase or a tax rate increase of 2.9 mills.

The proposed budget will next be discussed at two public hearings – both to be held in the middle school auditorium. The first one will take place Tuesday, March 28, at 7:30 pm. The second will be held Saturday, April 1, at 9 am.

The Legislative Council added $500,000 to the Board of Education’s proposed budget March 9, just 24 hours after it had cut out nearly $1 million.

In the end, the school board received most of what it had originally requested. The council’s decision appeared to have appeased school supporters as they headed out on their spring vacations. There were concerns that the council might reconsider the school budget this week, while many parents and Board of Education members were out of town. However, school board chairman Elaine McClure made a special request that the council move the issue up on the agenda.

Council member Joe Borst, who serves as chairman of the education subcommittee, moved that the school budget be re-opened. He then requested that the $500,000 be restored for a total Board of Education budget of $39.95 million (up nearly 15 percent). It was approved, 8-4, with Dan Rosenthal, Donald Studley, Mr Borst, Tim Holian, Ruby Johnson, John Kortze, Will Rodgers and Brian White all voting in favor of adding the money. Pierre Rochman, Melissa Pilchard, Peggy Baiad, and Doug Brennan all voted against the idea.

In short, the council agreed not to touch the school board’s budget, as long as it agreed to pay for $500,000 worth of capital items in its operating budget.

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed said the additional money would allow the school system to hire new staff members needed for the enrollment boom.

“I think if this budget passes the referendum in April, I’m very optimistic we will not have to remove more positions from the budget. We will be able to hold the line,” he said.

Mr Rochman warned that the school board was not bound to using the $500,000 for capital items since the council has no say over its individual line items. However, Dr Reed said his board, in good faith, would use the money for those purposes.

As for the council’s “taketh away and then giveth back” policy, Dr Reed could only speculate.

“There may have been some confusion in the original motions last Wednesday night,” he said. “I’m not sure if it was a change of heart or that people found a way to do what they had set out to do the night before. What happened Thursday I think was very similar to what some thought was going to happen Wednesday night.”

Amaral Fields Breathe   New Life

The Legislative Council cut $350,000 out of the proposed Parks & Recreation budget late last week, then added it right back in – all in a matter of minutes.

In the end, the council agreed to fully fund the $550,000 in the operating budget for construction of two baseball diamonds at the Amaral property along Elm Drive. The vote was 10-2 in favor of a $1.52 million Parks & Recreation budget. Mr Rochman and Mr Rodgers cast the lone “no” votes.

An hour earlier, the council had voted to reduce the budget by $350,000 upon the recommendation of the finance committee. In an effort to keep the tax rate increase down, that board rationalized the reduction because there was already $2 million in bonding for ball fields. Plus, finance committee chairman John Kortze said, the proposed 5/6 school will likely include fields. These would surely make a “large dent” in the need for fields.

During an impromptu meeting outside the meeting, local sports supporters were informed by Superintendent John R. Reed that the council might reconsider the school board budget. Could it be that the council might also add money back into the Parks & Recreation budget?

P&R Director Barbara Kasbarian decided to wait around to find out. And as the clock struck 10 pm, council member Tim Holian moved to restore the $350,000 and the motion was approved 10-2.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal had lobbied for the restoration of the money, especially after comments from council chairman Pierre Rochman, who said there was no guarantee the P&R would get the full $2 million in the bond issue.

P&R Commission Chairman Larry Haskel was credited with making a very convincing presentation. In his remarks, he pointed out that in 1985 the P&R staff had six men maintaining 10 properties. Today, those same six men are responsible for maintaining 37 properties. Mr Haskell admitted to being somewhat confused by the council’s actions.

“It confuses me as to how things happen. I’m glad in the long run that common sense prevailed,” he said. “They understood that we have to move forward. The Amaral property was the first legitimate option for us. Hopefully, if the budget passes, we will move very quickly. The goal is to have that ready for play next year.”

The Parks & Recreation is hoping to get seven fields at Fairfield Hills, two at the Amaral property, and renovations to the field at Oak View Road, if and when the agrees to give the land to the town. Old Farm Hill Road and Queen Street are still being considered for future fields.

Chairman ‘Disgusted’

Council Chairman Pierre Rochman closed out this year’s budget proceedings with a bad taste in his mouth.

“I’m disgusted – not because anybody got their money back. It’s just that we don’t know what we’re doing,” he said of the council. “What happened Thursday night is sort of symptomatic of some of the problems with our government. I think our Legislative Council is very susceptible to special interest groups and does a poor job of planning.”

Mr Rochman was not pleased that the school board was allowed to have its budget re-examined out of turn. The request was made by Elaine McClure who, along with other school supporters, was going out-of-town this week.

“It was an unprecedented move. It was the first time in my recollection that we’ve ever rushed through like that,” he said. “As chairman, I certainly did not feel I had the control I should have. I said I would go along with whatever the Legislative Council wants. In retrospect, I wished I had said ‘no.’”

Mr Rochman said he was disappointed to hear one council member change his mind after seeing the numbers presented by one member of the public. We caved in, he said.

“I’m concerned we may be acting emotionally and not as an official body,” he said. “We are supposed to be concerned about the tax rate. That’s not the job of the Board of Education or the Parks & Recreation.”