FAIRFIELD — The Town Council this week approved a proposed $6.4 million municipal budget that will go to voters at next month’s Town Meeting.
Expenses for the town have increased, but after revenues have been factored in, the overall budget is expected to have decreased about 5% because town revenues have increased over the past year, according to Town Manager Michelle Flewelling.
Expenses in the new budget total about $6.4 million, an increase of about $475,000. After factoring in what is expected to be $4.2 million in revenue, the amount to be raised from taxation is expected to be about $2.2 million, a decrease of more than $125,000 to current spending.
The increase in town expenses is spread across various departments, with no one large item, Flewelling said Thursday, but an increase in health insurance costs is one factor.
The budget includes funding for two new municipal positions: One to assist the fire chief and help with the Fire Department’s coverage, and the other an assistant to the town manager, who would help with administrative tasks.
The Town Council and budget committee have disagreed on four of the 31 budget articles:
• Library funding: The council has recommended $217,284, and the committee $500 more.
• Fairfield Police Athletic League: The council has recommended $35,582, and the committee $10,000 less.
• Spectrum Generations: The council has recommended $5,000, and the committee $4,173.
• Fairfield Victor Grange: The council has recommended $3,000, and the committee $4,000.
Tim Martin, chair of the budget committee, said during a public hearing Wednesday the committee voted to spend less on the Police Athletic League budget because the Public Works Department handles maintenance of athletic fields.
He also said the committee chose not to change current spending on Spectrum Generations.
For the Victor Grange, Martin said the committee wanted to support programs the grange has for seniors in the community.
“We recommended $4,000,” Martin said, “because they do great programs with the seniors and are local to Fairfield.”
The disagreement on the library budget came from different estimates on electricity costs for the year.
The higher budget amounts will be listed on the warrant for approval by residents, because the numbers can be lowered — but not increased — at the Town Meeting.
The Town Meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 9, at the Fairfield Community Center, 61 Water St.
The town is returning to an in-person Town Meeting after holding it as an election for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
