Chester Town Budget Passes
Approximately 30 town residents showed up for the special town meeting, to vote on the Chester 2015-’16 fiscal year budget, which was passed unanimously.
The $12,907,274 budget, as recommended by the Board of Finance, is up three percent over the previous year’s spending, resulting in a mill rate increase of two percent or one half of a mill, from 24.82 to 25.32.
The main drivers for this increase include payroll increases, additional money for winter storm maintenance, and an increase in electricity costs.
Payroll is up approximately 2.75 percent, or $80,000, and winter storm maintenance (calculated using numbers from the past five years) is up approximately $17,000.
“I think things went very well,” said First Selectman Ed Meehan. “We had a good turnout of residents, and there were no questions because we already presented the budget at the public hearing and questions and concerns were discussed at that time.”
At the same meeting, Chester residents unanimously voted to adopt the town’s five-year Capital Plan as recommended by the Board of Finance. This includes the appropriation of $419,000 for capital items, some of which have been carried over from the previous year’s expenditures like computer replacement costs, Public Works vehicle costs, the Main Street Project, road and sidewalk maintenance, generator and emergency equipment replacement for the town’s service departments, HVAC replacement at Chester Elementary School, and other projects.
Meehan explained that the intent is to spread out the costs over a five-year time frame so the town isn’t slammed with expenses all at once.
The residents also voted “Yes” to the authorization of the expenditure of $30,000 from the Capital Fund for the Town Hall Computer Replacement line item. This money is used to cover the lease Chester currently has with the Hewlett Packard Company for new computers, servers, and technology.
In addition, residents voted to amend the town ordinance addressing the licensing of food service establishments.
The town ordinance, which is no longer consistent with the State of Connecticut Department of Health, was changed from its former wording, which stated that the licensing fees for food service establishments will be based on the seating capacity. Licensing fees will now be based on how food is prepared, refrigerated, and stored, according to Department of Health guidelines.
Meehan added, “Later this year the Board of Selectmen will be looking at the Health [Department] fees in town and those of neighboring towns and updating Chester’s fees accordingly.”