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05/26/2020 12:00 AMOn May 20, the North Haven Board of Finance met virtually to adopt the proposed budget of $108,691,154, an increase in spending from the current year of $4,765,204 or 5.1 percent. Due largely to an increased tax base, the town’s mill rate was decreased from 31.18 to 30.72, a reduction of 1.5 percent.
The Board of Finance voted 5-2 in favor of the budget with democrats Nancy Barrett and Michael T. Hallahan voting against the budget and Richard Monico (chairman), First Selectman Mike Freda, James J. Lianos, Timothy Doheny, and Yann M. Vissicchio voting for the budget.
The reduction of the mill rate was made possible by the town’s growing Grand List, which expanded the town’s tax collection, one of First Selectman Mike Freda’s goals he had set when being elected to office.
“When I first took office, I was faced with many significant challenges, including inheriting five major businesses that had left North Haven, so one of the goals was to work on the economic development side to bring new businesses in, to create significant top-line revenue growth and use that top-line growth to satisfy and accommodate all of the needs of the town government to ensure that the town would continue to move forward in a positive direction,” said Freda. “It took me a while to get there, but in the last four years, we’ve seen two zero-percent mill rate increases and this year I’m happy to be able to deliver a mill rate reduction at the same time as enhancing the service to the residents.”
The town side of the budget totals $51,366,909, with $57,324,245 going to the Board of Education. Within the budget, Freda noted that there were several areas that saw an increase in services.
“At a time when municipalities are cutting back services or raising mill rates, we’re in a position to increase the service level,” said Freda. “We were able to support the growing needs for more special education resources, enhance emergency services with upgrades for both police and fire, upgrade our 911 system, and still offer a mill rate reduction.”
Heading into the BOF meeting on May 20, the proposed mill rate was 30.85. During the course of the meeting, BOF members voted to make additional cuts totaling $400,000 from the town’s side of the budget: $50,000 that had be earmarked for a fire consultant, $100,000 from medical expenses, and a $250,000 decrease in debt services.
The education budget, at $57,324,245, is a 5.01 percent increase from 2019-’20. The Board of Education originally proposed a 5.4 percent increase ($57,524,245). Superintendent of Schools Patrick Stirk noted there were questions about the $200,000 reduction to the increase during the presentation held on May 14.
“This cut will not affect students or staff,” said Stirk. “[Of that reduction], $156,000 came off the most up-to-date health insurance renewal quote and the remainder can be accounted through the health insurance account.”
The largest piece of the 2020-’21 budget is salaries (58.7 percent) with approximately 500 full-time employees and more than 100 part-time employees.
While this is the largest piece of the budget, there were $315,000 in staff reductions due to anticipated retirements as well as an administrator position and a district coordinator position. There were new positions added.
The next largest piece is benefits at 18.1 percent.
Stirk also noted the BOE was able to reduce the budget for utilities by $50,000, contracted support services by $160,000, vendor fees for registered behavior technician/board certified behavior analyst by $100,000, and facilities and IT lines items by $82,445.
“[This budget] maintains the district’s focus on improving achievement for all students,” said Stirk. “It meets the 2023 graduation requirements and addresses the social and emotional needs of all learners by beginning to increase the level of support services within our schools and district programs. [It was created with] a sensitivity to both the broad educational needs of our students as well as the town’s resources we are expending to address those needs.”