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04/09/2019 12:15 PMAt the April 2 public hearing, opponents of the proposed 2019-’20 budget called for a tax reduction at an April 2 public hearing on the budget, approved by a 5-1 Board of Finance (BOF) vote, which would instead maintain the mill rate at 31.18.
Some speakers at the April 2 hearing had the North Haven Fire Department (NHFD) in their sights for cuts.
The $103,785,950 budget proposal, a spending increase of 6.6 percent on the town side and 3.9 percent on the Board of Education side, next goes to a town meeting on Monday, May 13, and a referendum on Tuesday, May 21.
“We need to control spending,” said Third Selectman Sally Buemi, in public comment at the April 2 hearing. “Although a zero increase in the mill rate seems like an ultimate goal of any municipal budget, we have a real chance to give the taxpayers a break...in this budget.”
The current proposal keeps the tax rate flat, despite increased spending, primarily through the expansion of the town’s tax base created by the new Amazon distribution center set to open this year.
Others spoke of their concern about the rising requests from town departments and the 36 percent jump in the town’s debt payment from $6,679,000 to $9,085,747.
“My main concern is focused on the pattern of continual budget increase requests year after year that are presented to the Board of Selectmen and the BOF...[because] of the alleged need of the town departments to increase their manpower and their resources,” resident Heidi Boettger said.
The proposed budget gives the NHFD $5,112,104, up from $4,477,589 in the 2018-’19 budget. The 14.1 percent increase proposed will provide the department with two additional professional firefighters per shift, bringing its numbers up from 8 per shift to 10, part of an ongoing plan by the department to address an increase in calls.
According to Fire Chief Paul Januszewski, the NHFD received 4,670 calls in 2018, following an on-average increase of two to six percent per year. A growing share of those calls are medical. The increased fire staff would support the rising call volume in a department that has also seen a dip in volunteer firefighters.
“This budget allows...us an opportunity to bring two additional firefighters on-board that will assist us tremendously,” said Board of Fire Commissioners (BFC) Chairman Pat Nuzzolillo. “I’m deeply appreciative of [First Selectman] Mike Freda and the BOF considering a plan to grow our department over the next couple of years so that we can phase in the number of firefighters that we need.”
The proposed budget includes $300,000 for the purchase of a new ladder truck. The department hopes to purchase in the next fiscal year a total of three, including the new ladder truck in the proposed budget, a new pumper truck out of existing reserve funds, a purchase approved already by the town, and a third to be purchased with a grant.
Three of the NHFD’s engines are 25 years old or older and require frequent maintenance. With trucks out for repair, the NHFD has been forced to keep older trucks in service for longer periods of time.
Vehicle maintenance continues to be a large part of the NHFD’s budget. The 2018-’19 budget allotted $130,000 for that line item. The upcoming year’s budget shows a $20,000 increase.
“I support the purchase of this $300,000 used ladder truck...but I urge the BOF members to remove it from the capital budget and away from the mill rate calculation,” Buemi said, suggesting that the truck be obtained through other means.
During last year’s budget proceedings, Januszewski was given two of 16 new firefighters he requested. This year, two more are included in the proposed budget, and the NHFD is hoping to add still more in the future.
“I am not against the fire department,” Buemi said. “I am sick of hearing how the fire department is always picked on, that only the fire department is scrutinized so closely...That is not true, especially for me.”
Concern over the addition of the two new shift firefighters was also raised by BOF Secretary Michael Hallahan, who was the dissenting vote on the town side budget at their March 20 meeting.
He suggested that the firefighters be removed from the budget so that six additional professionals could be hired by way of a federal grant.
Members of the NHFD and the BFC spoke at the meeting in favor of the proposed budget.
“The important things are the safety of this town,” said BFC member Peter Criscuolo. “If you don’t want to worry about the equipment that we have, the apparatus, and the manpower that we have at the fire department...then that’s a great mistake.”
Some members of the public also spoke on behalf of the NHFD and the budget.
“As somebody who has woke up with my apartment on fire in the middle of the night, having a fire department that was able to get to my apartment within a few minutes made the difference between having a loss of a couple of my pets versus having those animals saved,” said Jennifer Caldwell. “It is very concerning to me that the firehouse by my house is not staffed.”
Beumi, the third selectman, remained adamant that a tax cut should be delivered to voters this year.
“The $4.9 million increase in spending in this proposed budget is too much. Let’s curtail spending, reduce the mill rate, and give the taxpayers of North Haven the relief they deserve,” Buemi said.
With the public hearing over, the budget will head to a town meeting on Monday, May 13, where it may be adopted or rejected for modification, then to referendum on Tuesday, May 21 when the decision will be made by the public. All voting will take place at the North Haven Recreation Center at 7 Linsley Street.