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06/05/2017 12:00 AMChester voters adopted the proposed budget for fiscal year 2017-18 at a special town meeting on May 25. The total budget amount is $13,249,738, which is a $120,070 or 0.91 percent spending increase over last year’s budget.
“It was a not a unanimous vote,” said First Selectman Lauren Gister. “There was one ‘No’ vote, from a resident who was unhappy with the education budget, and wanted to make sure that was recognized.”
The Chester Board of Education budget proposal is $4,550,958, up 171,626 or 3.92 compared to current spending. The Region 4 proposal is $4,260,762, down 1.99 percent or $86,463, and the Supervisory District budget is $1,279,217, a 1.94 percent or $24,356 increase. Town side spending and bonding has been increased 0.8 percent, or $34,907, to $4,438,018.
“Overall it went as expect, I don’t think there was anything that was a surprise,” said Gister. “One of the things that we had questions on, and that we addressed during the meeting, was that we have based this budget on the best information we have from the state—we did not base this on a worst-case scenario, because we were not going to tap people for an unknown.
“We were careful and conservative, but we won’t know for sure until the state level budget is passed,” continued Gister. “It’s not fair to taxpayers when we have to guess. But we made a promise to be as cautious and careful as possible.”
The town budget was not the only matter determined at the special town meeting. Residents also selected the method of payment and due dates for property taxes. Real estate taxes will be due in two halves, with the first due July 1, 2017 and the second due Jan. 1, 2018. Motor vehicle bills will be due in one payment on July 1, and motor vehicle supplement bills will me due in a single payment on Jan. 1, 2018. There will be a minimum interest charge or $2, and bills under $5 will be negated.
The town also voted to adopt the five-year capital plan recommended by the Board of Finance, and authorized expenditures for various repairs and improvements as recommended by the Board of Finance. These included $22,000 for Town Hall computer replacement, $339,999 for road and sidewalk repairs, $11,000 for Cedar Lake and the watershed, $30,000 for the firehouse boiler, $30,000 for repairs for town buildings, $35,000 for the replacement of fire equipment, and $120,007 to replace an ambulance.
The full minutes from the town meeting can be found at www.chesterct.org under Board of Selectmen. Detailed budget breakdowns can be found online under the Board of Finance. The Board of Finance meets on Thursday, June 15, when it may set the new mill rate.