Although Legislative Council committees are not permitted to deliberate actions on the proposed 2015-16 budget request until after a planned Public Hearing Wednesday, March 25, two of those three committees are planning to meet beforehand to begin collecting data.

The council's Education Committee is slated to meet Monday, March 23, at 7:30 pm, in the Municipal Center's small conference room adjacent to the selectmen's office.

Chairman Neil Chaudhary heads that committee, which also includes Vice Chair Paul Lundquist, George Ferguson, Tony Filiato and Dan Honan. Mr Chaudhary said Superintendent of Schools Dr Joseph V. Erardi Jr and Board of Education Chair Keith Alexander and members of his panel have been invited.

Mr Chaudhary said there will likely only be two meetings of the education committee before a recommendation is made to the full council, so members want to begin gathering information as quickly as possible from school officials.

At 7 pm Tuesday, March 24, the council's municipal operations committee is scheduled to meet in the same municipal center board room. 

Chairman Bob Merola and Vice Chair Phil Carroll, Dan Amaral, Eva Bermudez, Joe Girgasky and Mr Honan are scheduled to begin their review of Public Safety, Public Works, Health and Welfare, Planning, Recreation and Leisure sections of the municipal budget proposal.

The full council will then gather at 7 pm the following evening, March 25. Chair Mary Ann Jacob told The Newtown Bee that the council will only hear input from the public at that session, and she will not convene a meeting of the council following public comments.

A special meeting originally scheduled for 7:30 has been cancelled.

On Thursday evening at 7 pm, the council's Administrative and Finance Committee meets in Meeting Room 3, adjacent to the Registrars Office, at the municipal center.

That panel, headed by Mr Ferguson and Mr Filiato includes Mr Amaral, Ms Jacob, Mr Lundquist and Councilman Ryan Knapp.

That panel is charged with reviewing and making recommendations on budget elements including all projected municipal revenues; all remaining town departments and their respective overseeing boards and commissions; contingency and debt service; the Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers; and the Town's Capital and Nonrecurring account.

Anyone wishing to offer comments on any of the separate budget accounts, or the overall spending plan is welcome to attend any of the committee meetings, the hearing Wednesday, or submit comments via email to council representatives.

All council email addresses can be directly linked through town website (Newtown-ct.gov) on the council page under the Boards & Commissions tab. A budget overview and the full town and school budget documents are also available for review on the Finance Department web page under the Town Departments tab.