Public Has No Comment At Health District Hearing

By Jan Howard

There were no members of the public present at a Newtown Health District public hearing Tuesday on its proposed 2004-05 budget of $399,950.

The total Health District budget is up $14,846 from the current budget of $385,104.

There is no increase in the assessment to the town of $225,000.

Revenues include anticipated revenues from the state of $42,814; projected fees, $59,689, up $9,805 from this year’s budgeted $49,884; and unreserved fund balance, $72,447, up $5,041 from this year’s $67,406.

Director of Health Donna McCarthy said an effort by the state Department of Health to decrease per capital funding to local health districts has failed. Therefore, anticipated revenues will remain the same as in the current budget.

Ms McCarthy explained there are only minor changes in the district’s proposed budget. She said the proposed increases are because of contractual increases in salaries, from $250,015 to $263,689.70, and related expenses, such as social security and workers compensation.

Contractual services decreased $4,000, from $16,830 to $12,830, Ms McCarthy said, because the district is doing more work with in-house personnel rather than contracting out and using Visiting Nurse Association services less. An increase in operating costs of $4,833.50 from $20,374 to $25,207.50 was because of promotional materials.

“It’s an uneventful budget,” Ms McCarthy said. “We work as effectively as we can with the staff we have.”

Other increases include legal/financial, $5,850, an increase of $150 from $5,700; workers compensation, $5,251, an increase of $251 from $5,000; social security, $20,111.80, an increase of $936.80 from $19,175. Contingency decreased $1,000 from $3,500 to $2,500.

Transportation at $13,570 and health insurance at $50,940 remain the same as in the current year’s budget.

Copies of the budget are on file for review at the Health District office at Canaan House on the Fairfield Hills campus.