Politics & Government

Council Approves $49M Budget Plan for 2011-12

Package Reflects Increase of $1.1M, or 2.41 Percent, Over Current Budget

The Ledyard Town Council on Wednesday approved a $49,134,068 budget proposal for 2011-12 that includes $29,607,964 in school spending and reflects an overall increase of about $1.1 million, or 2.41 percent over the current budget.

A public hearing on the budget plan will take place at 7:30 p.m. on April 25 at the Ledyard High School Auditorium. The annual Town Meeting on the budget will follow on May 16, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

Residents will have an opportunity to vote on the proposal the following day, May 17, between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

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Finance Committee Chairman Jim Diaz reviewed several significant changes made to the plan since it was first presented by Mayor Fred B. Allyn Jr. in early March. Included was the addition of a new administrator of human resources position, whose $90,000 salary would be shared by the municipal government and Board of Education budgets. 

Diaz referred to overtime management and ongoing negotiations with town employee labor unions as just two reasons why the new position is needed. “I think it’s time we add the resources so that we can handle this consistently over changes in administrations,” he said.

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The proposal also funds a part-time administrator of emergency services and a part-time ambulance driver. It includes $1.1 million in capital improvements for roads, and another $200,000 to convert the schools in Gales Ferry to natural gas. It also proposes that $325,000 be bonded for new bleachers at the high school. 

Council members voted to cut a proposed assistant town engineer position requested by Public Works Director Steve Masalin. Members felt the $59,000 position could be premature pending approval of road project funding. They elected instead to add $25,000 to road and land use engineering consultant fees.

The package approved by the council Wednesday was more than $600,000 lower than the budget originally proposed in March.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Graner, when he presented his budget earlier this year, said it was intended to assure the town’s educational offerings will be maintained at their current high level.

Diaz noted that the modest increase in spending after three flat years is a credit to teachers, other town employees, the mayor and the council – as well as the unions, which he said “bent over backwards” to help contain costs. 


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