Selectmen Review Safety, Social Service Allocations At Budget Session

By John Voket

On the second night of town budget hearings Tuesday, selectmen acted on items ranging from fire department vehicles, canine control personnel, public health operations, and emergency communications, to requests by local and regional organization that provide support to the abused, homeless, and disabled.

The first of selectmen’s three planned budget workshops took place Monday (see related story) and a third session was scheduled after press time Thursday.

Any leftover contingencies or adjustments are expected to be completed when selectmen gather for a regularly scheduled biweekly meeting next Monday.

Officials representing the town’s fire services came before selectmen with spending alternatives that may give taxpayers better than a two-for-one bang for their dollar. Fire Marshal and Sandy Hook Fire Department Chief William Halstead and Fire Commission Chairman Kevin Cragin informed selectmen that they could likely forgo the expense of acquiring a new pumper truck and use some of the former capital allocation to refurbish Engine 11 and Tanker 9 to almost new standards.

“We can refurbish the two trucks for probably less than the cost of a new truck, which will extend their use for 10 to 12 years or more,” Chief Halstead said.

“They come back from refurbishing almost brand new,” Mr Cragin added.

First Selectmen Herb Rosenthal supported the plan, citing Newtown’s previous success with refurbished fire trucks.

“I remember you had two trucks refurbished some time ago, and we got more than 15 years of service from each of them,” Mr Rosenthal said.

After further discussion, selectmen unanimously recommended the budget be adjusted from $1,356,895, and moved a final recommendation of $962,895 to the Board of Finance.

Emergency

Communications

The next item of business was emergency communications. One of emergency dispatch director Joseph DelBuono’s primary concerns was keeping his payroll, particularly overtime expenditures, under control in the coming year.

Mr DelBuono explained to selectmen that the loss of an experienced part-time dispatcher recently led him to rethink the structure of management in his department, resulting in a request for a new full-time assistant.

“I would drop part-time shifts in favor of bringing on a full-timer who would also become my assistant director,” Mr DelBuono said. “That person would also support administrative functions, and provide an additional layer of management and put us in a better position to develop long-term career dispatchers.”

Justifying a request for additional overtime funds, Mr DelBuono referenced a recently departed part-timer who took a full-time position as a firefighter in lower Fairfield County. He said that while he recruited, interviewed, hired, trained, and certified a replacement, other part-timers being paid overtime would have to cover most of the shifts.

“If we had a full-time person, he or she could cover those shifts within their normal scope of work, while also providing additional supervision and training,” he said.

Selectman Joseph Bojnowski empathized with Mr DelBuono.

“I know were chasing a moving target here, but I think we should hold the line on overtime,” the selectman replied.

Mr DelBuono agreed to wait and see how the new hire would defray overtime, and said he would return to request additional money only if and when it was required later in the year.

From a technology standpoint, Mr DelBuono supported his department’s acquisition of a new computer software system that would help prompt and guide dispatchers through interaction with callers on police matters. He said the system draws from a huge database of police protocols from around the world, and prompts dispatch personnel to ask the most critical questions that need to be answered to assure the caller and ensure responding police are fully prepared for the situations they may face.

Chief Halstead also asserted the justification for a modest communications receiver site in lower Sandy Hook, which could be accommodated at the departments sub station on Route 34 near the Monroe town line.

“We could raise a 50- or 60-foot tower, or mount it on the roof,” Mr Halstead said. “Route 34 is pretty busy with accidents and such, and we don’t always have the ability to leave the scene and go back to the vehicles to use those radios. Reception of police, fire, and EMS portable systems would be greatly improved.”

Following some other discussion, selectmen endorsed an adjusted budget from $757,979 to $749,159 for emergency communications.

Animal Control

Next up was Municipal Animal Control Officer (MACO) Gerri Breyan. Ms Breyan also went before selectmen justifying the addition of at least one, preferably two, new part-time animal control assistants who would serve the community on evenings and weekends.

She said the move would alleviate police from continuing to handle a large number of animal-related calls.

“I’m looking at 290 evening and weekend animal calls police had to handle between January 1 and November 9, 2004,” she said. “If we add evening and weekend positions, police would be freed up to handle other business.”

Ms Breyan said she would also be able to train and rely on part-timers to assist with administrative matters, kennel responsibilities, and other complaints. The two positions would fill a 4 to 8 pm weekday shift, and the other, a Saturday and Sunday schedule.

After discussing some additional requests for supplies and equipment, selectmen agreed to fund one new part-time staffer, and moved a budget recommendation for canine control at $122,749.

Rising Health District Fees

Health Director Nancy Culbert was the final official presenting a budget request Tuesday. During the course of discussions about the Health District, selectmen supported the need to raise fees to offset operating costs. Until last year, the Health District was able to maintain a zero increase by offsetting costs with a capital reserve fund.

But that fund is now depleted to the point where Ms Culbert was forced to request an increase to town allocations.

“We haven’t increased fees since 1997,” she said.

Selectman Bojnowski calculated that the department would have to raise all its fees by almost 30 percent to remain at a zero increase. But accounting for inflation and the possible loss of fees and state subsidies, Ms Culbert suggested that most of the Health District fees would likely double next year.

After further deliberation, the Health District budget was adjusted from $268,865 to $250,000 and forwarded to the Board of Finance.

Following Ms Culbert’s departure, selectmen adjusted and moved the following departmental requests in short order:

•  Lake Lillinonah and Zoar Authorities: As recommended (assessed) at $39,045

•  VNA of Newtown:  As recommended at $500

•  Children’s Adventure Center:As recommended at $20,000

•  Regional Hospice: As recommended at $5,500

•  Veteran’s Guidance: As recommended at $250

•  NW Regional Mental Health Board: As recommended at $2,893

•  NW Safety Communication: As recommended at $10,000

•  Newtown Youth Services: As recommended at $160,000

•  Danbury Regional Child Advocacy Center: Reduced from $2,500 to $2,200

•  Women’s Center of Greater Danbury: As recommended at $7,000

•  Ability Beyond Disability: Reduced from $5,000 to $4,500

•  Regional Paramedic Service: As recommended at $154,500

•  Newtown Ambulance Association: As recommended at $55,000 (for new vehicle)

•  Newtown Family Counseling Center: As recommended at $54,000

•  AMOS House (emergency transitional shelter): As recommended at $3,300

•  Literacy Volunteers: Reduced from $2,000 to $1,000

•  NW CT EMS Council dues: As recommended at $250

•  Shelter of the Cross: As recommended at $2,500

•  WeCAHR: Reduced from $3,000 to $500

•  The Volunteer Center: Reduced from $1,000 to $500

•  Newtown Parade Committee (insurance): As recommended at $1,500

Selectman William Brimmer saved the best for last as he introduced the line item for the Newtown Tercentennial Committee at zero dollars.

“Is this a work of art or what?” he joked, before praising the work of tercentennial volunteers for all their efforts, and in keeping expenses within budget.

Selectmen also approved two first-time allocation requests. The Newtown Parent Connection after discussion, was allocated $2,500, and the Northwest Connecticut Conservation District was approved for $500.