First Selectman's Corner - April 8 2019 - Budget Process
April 8, 2019
The month of April is a busy month at Town Hall and it is all about “budget.” The Boards of Selectmen, Education and Finance have several meetings during the month that focus on developing a budget that will be brought forth to the people to vote on in early May.
The Annual Public Budget Hearing was held on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. At this meeting, the Regional School Board of Education, the New Hartford School Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen presented their proposed budgets to members of the public for their information and input.
To summarize the meeting (and our budget in general), our schools and town have different needs. Regional 7 is experiencing a change in student enrollment. Fewer New Hartford students will be attending and therefore our bill is being decreased by roughly $200,000 which helps our financial situation. Local schools have a different challenge. They are seeing a significant increase in special education expenses this year which is causing their budget to go up roughly $400,000. Thankfully Regional 7 savings offsets a portion of this increase.
Within our town government budget, spending is increasing by roughly $200,000 in various areas: paving, tree work, insurance, paramedics and libraries to name a few, but these expenses are being off-set by the fact that our Town Hall bond is now paid off saving us roughly $200,000. All in all…these factors (with schools included would require about a 1.5% increase in taxes (as presently presented).
All of these changes were explained in detail and public commentary was allowed. It was a great conversation. Members of the Board of Finance will now reflect upon the presentations and public commentary and will meet again on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, to discuss the budget in further detail. At that meeting, they will either move the proposed budgets ahead or will make some changes prior to taking the budgets to the Annual Budget Meeting and subsequent Referendum for consideration and a vote.
On April 23, 2019, the Annual Budget Meeting will be held in the Senior Center/Meeting Room of the Town Hall at 7:00 PM. At this meeting, the public may ask questions and gain additional information regarding the proposed budget, but they will not vote on it due to the fact that the budget will go to a public “Referendum” vote. The Board of Selectmen honors an Ordinance that was adopted many years ago that takes the budget to a referendum vote, rather than a Town Meeting vote. Holding a referendum allows a larger percentage of the population of New Hartford to vote on the budget. The Board of Selectmen are charged with setting a Referendum date, which typically is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May.
I urge all New Hartford Citizens to be involved in the budget making process and to take part in the budget vote. The budget is prepared with keeping the best interests of the Town of New Hartford in mind. Doing what is best for New Hartford, for both today and tomorrow, is what I aim to do. I need to hear from you so that I know that we (the Board of Selectmen) are on the right track. I am available at town hall during office hours or by special arrangement. Thanks!
Dan
860-379-3389