Branford's Budget Passed at $93.6 Million

With the midnight hour drawing close, the Branford Representative Town Meeting passed the 2011-12 budget at $93,657,715–$382,394 less than the and a total of $1,379,507 less than the combined requested amount from the town and the Board of Education.

The mill rate, once approved by the BOF will be .76 mills or a 3.22 percent increase over last year.

In what was expected to be an by supporters of the education budget, turned into about an hour of community participation requesting more funds for the school side of the budget.

Before the floor was open to the more than 100 people in attendance at the meeting–those who did not fit in the meeting room were watching the events as they unfolded on a nearby television in an adjacent room–RTM moderator Scott D. Thayer explained to the group that the town body had no jurisdiction over where the BOE allocated funds.

Many supporters, from parents to students, were present in support of including physical education teacher Marco Imperati, music teacher Keith Traver and teacher and football coach Mike Tracy.

The three captains of the Branford High School football team stood before the RTM and pleaded: “Loosing coach Tracy would not only be losing a coach but a roll model. He’s like a father figure. Moving him to a different school would not only affect our football team it would affect the whole school.”

A BHS student held her iPad and read, “I feel it is our responsibility as students to fight these cuts.”

Haley Nelson, a WIS eighth-grader whose brother, Jack Nelson, sixth-grader, spoke last night and at the BOE meeting two weeks ago, made her case for the music program at the middle school that will now see a growth in class size and the possible cut of the Cantare music program. “The music department helps us get through every day at school,” said Haley.

Imploring the RTM to understand that budget cuts affect the morale of faculty, Branford High School English teacher Mindy Baker stated, “Cuts are not a simple re-distribution of 100 students per teacher.” She continued that cuts affect that teachers help to facilitate in addition to affecting the traditional classroom environment.

As the community input portion of the meeting came to a close, Richard Greenalch, Jr. (R) called the situation a “perfect storm.” A lost of federal dollars compounded by the final year of high teacher union negotiated contracts has left the RTM in a tough spot for balancing the education budget. “These are tough economic times,” he said, “and these are tough decisions.”

Coming close to voting on the education budget with no change to the BOF recommended operating budget of $49,170,365 (this does not include the capital budget of $375,000), Mike Nardella (R) addressed the packed house. “It’s so great to see so many people in the audience. If you would come to the meeting and run for office… If you are going to come here on budget night and tell us what we are doing…”

Many in the attendance took offense to the direction of Nardella’s comment but one Branford High School junior Matt White, a basketball player, said he was inspired. “I think some people are ridiculous and hypocritical. It kind of makes me want to represent the town.” He continued, “I will definitely come back and speak at more meetings to represent Branford High School and the physical education department.”

Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez as well as Board of Education Chairman Frank Carrano were both in attendance at the meeting and stayed through the entire, more than five-hour discussion.

Before the final number of $49,545,365 was set as the BOE budget, Carrano made a last stand to the RTM. “It’s a little disingenuous to tell us we are getting an increase and we shouldn’t complain. Please don’t tell us to be happy because we got an additional $325,000 cut.”

In total, the BOE budget is a 3 percent increase over last year though it’s nearly one percent less than what the group had hoped to have gotten. At the June BOE meeting, Hernandez will have to present where teacher cuts will be made to meet the RTM passed budget.

During a recess after the budget was passed, Carrano said, “At least we saved what we have.” When asked if thought the RTM would move money from another department to the BOE budget he said, “I was hoping there had been enough discussion about it that it would at least have given us an opportunity to discuss it.”

As the education side of things came to a head and the budget was approved, supporters filed out of the meeting leaving about 20 to 30 people in attendance–those numbers dwindled as the night wore on.

The RTM passed the town budget at $44,112,350–a $756,455 reduction from the originally requested figure of $44,868,805.

One of the biggest discussions of the evening was the proposed reduction of $56,000 for fire, police andd public works overtime staff for public events like the Branford Festival, Branford Road Race and Branford Fireworks.

The proposed request from the democrat side was to put the funds for overtime into contingency–a financial safety net that can be dipped into as needed if funds are appropriated–and save the total $56,000.

Several members on the republican side opposed the measure. Representative Frank Twohill (R) said that he wanted to see the staffing of the event on straight time as opposed to overtime. He said of the 52 members of the Police Department, 29 are officers. He insinuated that the top people could work the event.

Representative Douglas Hanlon(D), Chair of the Public Services Committee, as well as others, commented that it would be difficult for the festival and people from the Road Race to raise enough funds in time for the 2012 festivities. “If we really want these public events to fund themselves…. I don’t think the Branford Festival can raise $30,000 to $50,000 in one year.”

Eventually it was decided that half of the overtime funds–$28,000–would be put into contingency. Dialogue with event coordinators could begin pending the new state of funding.

The Administrative Services Committee, which oversees the executive, assessor, town clerk and law budgets was able to cut $68,500 from the Board of Finance recommended budget.

Rules and Ordnances, which includes planning and zoning and economic development cut $2,800.

Public Service, which oversees police, fire and public works, cut a total of $61,000–this includes the above overtime mentioned.

Ways and Means, which oversees the recreation, pension and insurance and capital budgets was able to slash $250,294 from their budget, which includes $110,722 from capital.

All told, the town cut $382,394 from the Board of Finance recommended budget for next year.

After the meeting, First Selectman Anthony "Unk" DaRos stated, "I think they did pretty good." The budget he continued, "was bent a little bit but at least it wasn't broken. We can still move the town forward and be the top town as we are."

Pretty content with the committees' work through the process and the RTMs final trimming, DaRos said, "Really, by the time it gets to the RTM there's not a whole lot of work to be done. At this point, it is a legitimate budget or it's not."

Seeing nearly $400,000 cut from the town side, DaRos said, "We'll have to do more with less or just do without." He added, "I'm not about to do without." He's confident that the town services will stay intact and nothing is being cut completely.

What DaRos said he was most happy about with the budget, was the 2 percent salary increase for department heads or un-affiliated employees. "It was a modest increase almost to the point of an insult but we're still moving forward."

"By and large," said DaRos, "it was a budget that will meet our needs."