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SHARON — The Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen presented their proposed 2024-25 budgets to the Board of Finance at a three-hour meeting on Tuesday, March 19.
New to this year’s consideration is the removal of capital improvement expenditures from the Board of Education’s budget, lodging them instead in the selectmen’s town budget. The change represents an effort to reduce the Minimum Budget Requirement (MBR) imposed by state education regulations.
“The Board of Education feels comfortable that the lower budget will meet MBR requirements,” Cahill said.
The proposed spending plan for Sharon Center School (SCS) anticipates total expenditures of $4,328,390, a reduction from the current year by $185,937 (4.12%). SCS anticipates $24,402 in grants to reduce their total expenses.
When the Region One assessment is added, the total education budget expenses rise to $6,045,960, but overall education costs still see savings of $57,396 (0.94%) when compared to the current year’s budget.
Currently, 28 students from Sharon attend Housatonic Valley Regional High School, or 9.7% of the enrollment. In the coming year, that student percentage is expected to grow to 10.1%, Cahill reported.
The Board of Selectmen’s town budget submitted to the Board of Finance shows an anticipated total of $5,858,287, an increase of $529,559 (9.94%) over the current year.
First Selectman Casey Flanagan reviewed the budget detail and responded to questions of clarification.
A necessary increase is seen in the ambulance squad’s need to hire paid coverage on weekdays to supplement volunteer hours. The cost for providing paid EMTs is estimated at $130,000 for the coming year. In past years, there were volunteers in sufficient numbers to cover the needed service.
Town employees were given a 4% cost of living increase across the board, Flanagan reported. Wage and salary negotiations are continuing with the road foreman and the road crew, he added, expecting them to conclude soon, and bring an increase to the proposed budget figures.
“We should be able to pay our employees enough so they can live here,” Flanagan told the finance board.
When combined, the proposed budgets from both the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education show total projected expenses in 2024-25 are up to $11,904,247, an increase of $472,193 (4.13%) over last year .
“The bottom-line total number is not what I would have expected to present to the Board of Finance, but it’s the reality now,” Flanagan said, inviting finance board consideration.
Ongoing concern about the Connecticut Green Bank’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed by the selectmen on behalf of the town, to proceed with installation of a solar array at SCS was debated at the meeting.
During public comment, David Levinson, whose Hilltop Road property neighbors SCS, had urged the Board of Finance to review the agreement, particularly its estimates of up-front costs and projections of cost savings to accrue to the town over the 20-year life of the solar energy program. He also questioned the validity of the stormwater drainage plan.
Flaton and Bartram agreed to a meeting with Flanagan and a Green Bank representative to resolve the questions.
The public hearing on the proposed budgets has been scheduled for Thursday, April 4, allowing time for the Board of Finance to complete its budget review process.
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Salisbury budgets go to hearing
Mar 27, 2024
SALISBURY — The Board of Finance voted to send the 2024-25 budget proposals from the Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen to public hearing after a brief meeting Wednesday, March 20.
Both budget proposals were trimmed a bit from the versions presented to the finance board on March 7.
Salisbury Central School Principal Stephanie Magyar said the SCS budget was down $12,418 because of a decrease in health insurance costs, offset somewhat by an increase in non-certified staff salaries.
First Selectman Curtis Rand reported a similar situation on the municipal side, with a decrease in health insurance offset by an increase in tipping fees for municipal solid waste, for a decrease of $1,281.
The finance board voted to send the two proposals to a public hearing Monday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.
The town budget proposal’s total is $8,619,572, an increase of $401,742 (4.8%).
The SCS budget proposal’s total is $6,535,939, an increase of $195,665 (3.09%).
The town’s Region One assessment is $4,412,718, an increase of $236,606 (5.67%).
Total town education spending, if the SCS and Region One proposals pass, will be $10,948,657, an increase of $432,271 (4.11%).
The Region One budget proposal will be presented at a public hearing at Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Thursday, April 4, at 7 p.m. The hearing is in-person and on Zoom.
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CORNWALL — Wild weather, a growing student population, and inflationary pressures have led to spending increases across the board in Cornwall.
The Board of Finance (BOF) reviewed spending proposals from the Board of Selectmen, Region One Schools, and Cornwall Consolidated School (CCS) on March 21.
First Selectman Gordon Ridgway presented a draft municipal budget, which showed increases in expenses and a depleted unassigned general fund.
“Because of all the storm damage, we have drawn down the town savings in a way we haven’t done in a long time,” said Ridgway. “It’s a tough year.”
The municipal spending proposal for 2024-25 totaled $3,149,995, an increase of $207,306 (7.04%) over 2023-24. Next year’s budget includes $100,000 for a storm damage fund, a new line item in Cornwall’s budget, which was added to avoid further draining the town’s savings due to weather events.
A growing high school population caused a spike in Cornwall’s Region One assessment. Students from Cornwall now make up about 12.5% of Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s population with 36 students enrolled.
Cornwall’s Region One assessment totaled $2,027,575 in 2024-25, an increase of $180,457 (9.77%) compared to last year.
Expenses are up at CCS as well. The spending plan for 2024-25 is up to $2,773,399, an increase of $139,496 (5.3%) above last year’s total.
On the positive side, Cornwall closed out one debt service, reducing the bottom line by $184,255 compared to 2023-24.
Despite dipping into its reserves, Cornwall’s unassigned general fund balance remains above the state’s recommended two-and-a-half months of savings. Present estimates from Finance Director Barbara Herbst showed just under $1,000,000 in excess savings.
Combined, the proposals from each department brought Cornwall’s total expenses in 2024-25 to $8,111,576, an increase of $343,003 (4.42%) over last year. As presented, the mill rate would increase to 15.97, up 8.64% from 2023-24.
BOF set out to minimize the overall increase to the mill rate by allocating $195,000 from the unassigned general fund to help balance the budget.
BOF then requested the selectmen and CCS reevaluate spending proposals and come back with a 1% overall reduction.
“We’ll do our best to get through it. I’m sure we will,” said Ridgway.
BOF will review the adjusted proposals from the selectmen and CCS at its next regular meeting April 4 at 7 p.m.
The budget will then go to public hearing on April 19, 7:30 p.m. at Cornwall Library.
Prior to the public hearing will be a town meeting to reallocate unused funds from last year to go toward repairs in town.
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North Canaan holds the line
Mar 27, 2024
NORTH CANAAN — A favorable Region One assessment has enabled North Canaan to reduce the overall budget for fiscal year 2024-25.
Region One Schools’ Business Director Sam Herrick, North Canaan Elementary School (NCES) Principal Alicia Roy, and First Selectman Brian Ohler presented their spending proposal to the Board of Finance on March 20.
Herrick reported the number of North Canaan students attending Housatonic Valley Regional High School dropped from 116 to 102, leading to an assessment reduction of $205,770 compared to 2023-24. The reduction helped offset increases to pupil services and regional school service center contributions.
North Canaan’s total Region One assessment came in at $5,565,923, down $136,960 (2.4%) from last year.
North Canaan Elementary School (NCES) saw a notable increase of $113,255.80 to teacher salaries in the 2024-25 spending proposal. A $23,313.72 increase to bus transportation costs was also included.
NCES showed a bottom line of $4,536,112.70 for next year, an increase of $110,075.87 (2.49%) over 2023-24.
First Selectman Brian Ohler set out to “hold the line” on spending next year. After salary increases to town personnel, the Board of Selectmen managed to produce a reduced budget for 2024-25.
The new spending proposal showed a total of $3,242,536 in municipal expenses, a reduction of $24,566 (0.75%) compared to 2023-24.
Overall, the combined budget totals in 2024-25 $13,344,571,70, a reduction of $51,450.13 (0.38%) compared to last year.
Ohler said he was “proud to be in the negative” for his administration’s first budget season.
The Board of Finance will continue its review of the three budgets with a meeting at Town Hall Wednesday, April 3, at 7 p.m.
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