Board of Finance Cuts More Than $90,000 From 2011-12 Budget, Decides Not to Reinstate Non-Government Agency Funds

Though many Bethel residents came in support of funding non-government agencies this budget season, the Board of Finance voted to not reinstate them after removing them from the 2011-12 town budget. 

Board member Gary Regan made a motion to add back a majority of the funding for organizations such as Meals on Wheels and the Women's Center, but the board voted against it 5-2, with only Regan and John Dietter in favor of it.

"There were very strong comments made at the town meeting [two weeks ago]," Dietter said. "I think we have to pay attention to that."

The rest of the board voted against the motion, with William Kingston sticking to his original stance. "It's not morally justified to give taxpayer money to charities that we choose," he said.

Chairman William Slifkin also said that federal and state governments provide the majority of these agencies' budgets and that they will not being going away because of this decision. 

Overall, nearly $93,000 was taken out of the original Board of Finance approved budget. Bethel's 2011-12 budget now stands at $62,958,525, with the town operating budget taking the cuts, which is now at $20,258,658. The Board of Education budget stayed the same at $37,991,050. The decreases would create a 1.135 percent increase in current spending, rather than 1.285 percent from the first approved budget.

The entire plan was approved 5-2 with board members Timothy Draper and James Roden opposing. 

One of the larger cuts came from the schools' building maintenance account, with $53,017 removed. The board felt the money could be bonded to pay for lights at the high school.

First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker and members of the Board of Finance also debated the Board of Selectmen's proposed five-year capital campaign to go toward various larger town projects. In the end, both boards agreed on holding a joint meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m. to further discuss the matter. 

Selectman Paul Szatkowski formally proposed the idea after a heated discussion between members of both boards.

"Let's move forward," Szatkowski said. "We need to come together to get this capital plan sorted out."

During public comment, other Bethel residents came in support of many other budget needs, including adding funding back to the library and to support a full-time position in the town's assessor's office. No motion to reinstate these funds was proposed by the Board of Finance. 

The budget season still has the town meeting and referendum left to go.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the Board of Finance unanimously approved renewing the contract for the Town Clerk's Cott System as well as the Board of Selectmen's request to move forward with purchasing two fire trucks for the town.