For residents planning to attend the March 16 Legislative Council public budget hearing, here is a breakdown of key municipal department budget requests.

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Edmond Town Hall

The Edmond Town Hall (ETH) proposed budget for 2022-23 is $196,884, a spending increase of $1,850 or .95% over last year’s budget of $195,034. Most of the increase stems from a $1,485 increase in Group Insurance.

Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers Vice-Chairman Jennifer Guman said the net income loss for ETH in 2022-23 of $30,290 is projected to be less than 2021-22, which was $51,253.

Fire Company Requests

The Board of Fire Commissioners presented a budget of $1,425,575 for 2022-23, a $12,469 or 0.88% increase over the 2021-22 budget of $1,413,106.

Major increases include $30,000 for dry hydrant repairs and an increase in funding for physicals by $6,400 due to increased necessity for them.

Fire house maintenance increased by $3,950, with maintenance for things such as alarms, boilers, generators, water and sewer, and sprinklers scheduled for the upcoming year.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said he had adjusted the proposed budget to include the 2.5% increase to wages that was approved town-wide, an increase across the department of $5,327.

Fire hose costs went from $27,430 to $44,802, a $17,072 increase.

Finance Director Robert Tait said that capital expenditures for the fire departments have been reduced by $30,000, which is being replaced by grant money, and ARP funds of $15,000 for each of the five departments is being considered.

Department of Public Works

The DPW budget will increase from $8,232,627 in 2021-22 to $8,638,504, a $405,877 or 4.93% increase.

DPW Director Fred Hurley said the biggest increase is to roads, as the town has moved fully from borrowing for roads to paying for them out of the yearly operating budget, a $250,000 increase.

Hurley said that the first real change is under fees and professional services, $17,600 for the GPS system, and other costs have been moved there from the repairs and maintenance line item. The next big item is gasoline, which has increased from $226,500 to $330,150, a $103,650 increase.

He said that gas for the next year will cost the town $2.44 a gallon, which is “up from last year substantially.” Hurley said that the town won’t know how much diesel will increase because the bids will come in for those in February or March, with the new price effective in July.

Construction supplies is up to $40,000 from $30,000 last year. Additionally, the town is doing a lot more work in-house, meaning it needs more supplies to do that work.

The DPW is proposing more money for road patching materials, asking for $100,000 this year when it received $85,000 last year.

The DPW also has $200,000 budgeted for Transfer Station improvements, anticipating the possible necessity for making improvements there to handle increased dropping off of recycling. The town has faced a substantial increase in its recycling curbside pick-up contract and is looking at how best to handle that increase.

C.H. Booth Library

The C.H. Booth Library budget will increase to $1,432,152, a $24,531 or 1.74% increase over the 2021-22 budget of $1,407,621.

The library is seeing an $88,700 increase in total revenue, a 5.58% increase, according to Library Director Doug Lord. Fundraising covers the gaps in expenditures between the town’s contribution and the library’s operating budget. Lord said that salaries increased $57,780. Equipment is increasing to $6,500 from $4,500 in 2021-22, a $2,000 or 44.44% increase.

Library Board President Amy Dent said the current budget is $35,000 in deficit, which will need to come out of the fund balance.

Parks & Recreation

The Parks & Recreation 2022-23 budget will be $2,546,558, a $65,898 or 2.66% increase over the 2021-22 budget of $2,480,660.

Parks & Recreation Director Amy Mangold called it a “modest increase,” which reflects contractual and wage increases, including an increase in the minimum wage and an increase in the cost of materials. Seasonal salaries and wages increased by $27,493, an 11.26% increase over last year.

Ground maintenance increased $7,888 and general maintenance supplies increased $1,795, both a 5% increase over last year. Contractual services increased $10,784, a 3.59% increase.

Police Department

Former Police Chief James Viadero, who departed as chief partway through the budget process, reported to the Board of Selectmen that the 2022-23 budget will be $7,519,522, a $121,211 or 1.64% increase from the 2021-22 budget of $7,398,311. The majority of the increase is contractual wages, which increased $95,610 or a 2.21% increase.

The vehicles line item increased $9,435, or 10.36%; the department will be purchasing three new vehicles, one through the capital and non-recurring fund. A $15,000 JAG grant will go toward the replacement of a detective vehicle. Additionally, there has been an increase in the cost of upfitting police vehicles, which has been delayed.

Asset forfeiture funds were used to purchase police cameras.