The Board of Finance at its regular meeting May 9 approved a number of transfers to cover a depleted legal fund and a shortfall in the unemployment compensation line, as well as authorizing bonding for a major roof replacement at Newtown High School and a new gas-fired heating plant for Middle Gate School.

The meeting opened with First Selectman Pat Llodra and Finance Director Robert Tait warning finance officials that the 2015 budget's contingency fund is now at zero with less than two months to go before a new fiscal cycle arrives July 1, and that there is little wiggle room in any remaining budget lines to transfer funds beyond those already being authorized.

"Our budget is going to be quite close," Mr Tait said. "I'm not expecting any significant surplus at year's end."

Mrs Llodra echoed her concern, saying that current spending to budget is the "closest ever in my time as first selectman."

She noted that legal expenses - specifically for counsel related to the recently completed charter revision and continued costs to defend cases being brought before the State Freedom of Information Commission have drained the current legal account down to nearly zero.

Mr Tait told the finance board that the town incurred about $30,000 in bills related to the expansive charter revision proposal that will go before local voters in November. Mrs Llodra also bemoaned the $21,000 in legal bills responding to multiple FOI appeals being filed by so-called "truthers" who continue to deny the Sandy Hook tragedy even ever occurred, and continue to seek information from local government on matters related to the event.

The first selectman then cautioned that she may have to return for added funds because of additional FOI-related expenses tied to local Ethics Board actions.

Among other transfers totaling $125,533 was $20,000 to cover a lost unemployment compensation appeal filed by two former Newtown emergency service workers who applied and qualified for compensation after being arrested and subsequently resigned following a steroid distribution investigation.

"These are individuals who are no longer employees of Newtown who still qualified to claim unemployment benefits," Mrs Llodra said. "We fought it and lost."

An additional $30,000 was transferred to cover the cost of two additional elections-related activities. Mr Tait said $8,000 would underwrite expenses for a standalone referendum on spending for a new community center, with the balance covering expenses for the recent townwide Presidential primary.

Neither extra event was budgeted.

The finance director explained that funds to cover the transfers were coming from various departments that had surpluses because of various job vacancies.

The meeting concluded with the finance board unanimously approving resolutions to spend $1,402,500 for roof restoration or replacement on most of the older 1997 sections at Newtown High School, and $475,000 for the gas-fired boiler replacement at Middle Gate School. Both projects were approved by the Board of Education May 4.

According to an impact memo on the projects, the roof area above the high school pool and lobby will be replaced with a 30-year warranted roof, while most of the rest of the involved areas will be power washed and covered with a urethane treatment that will extend the current warranty by 10 years.

There will also be waterproofing applied to various brick wall locations.

The Middle Gate project will not only include the installation of a high-efficiency gas boiler, but all LED fixtures and lighting, the memo states. The work is being done to affect maximum energy efficiency. The work will involve some asbestos abatement, while existing heating infrastructure will remain.

Mrs Llodra told finance officials that the town Public Works Department's involvement with trenching the new gas lines from the street to the new boiler helped save about $500,000 that would have otherwise accrued to the project cost. The first selectman said that this was the second major trenching project accomplished by the DPW.

Mrs Llodra said similar work performed at the new Sandy Hook Elementary School site saved the town about $600,000.

Finance Chair James Gaston, Sr responded saying the board "can't thank [town crews] enough for saving taxpayers so much money."