Top 10 stories of 2017: No. 1: Towns, schools reeling from state's budget troubles

Saturday
Dec 30, 2017 at 4:37 PM Dec 30, 2017 at 4:37 PM

By Stephanie Menders smenders@norwichbulletin.com (860) 425-4256

Eastern Connecticut's municipal leaders and school superintendents were tasked with difficult decisions this year as a months-long budget impasse from the state turned into millions of dollars worth of holdbacks. The delay left towns and school districts guessing as to what grants and state aid would be cut - and what would survive.

The state eventually passed a budget at the end of October, however here at the end of 2017, many municipal leaders say they are concerned about the future of the state's budget as they grapple with ways to offset the massive cuts they've already been dealt.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn schools recently announced a decision to cut several teachers, including a media specialist, health teacher and technical education teacher. The school system, which has frozen its roughly $17 million budget since Sept. 1, will also save by not filling three paraprofessional vacancies, Superintendent Patricia Buell said.

The Board of Education estimated a $65,000 saving by placing both the middle and elementary schools on the same schedule and consolidating transportation. All in all, the BOE cut roughly $300,000 from its budget.

But the town was not exempt from financial burden, either. At a town meeting, residents authorized the transfer of $66,766 from the town’s reserve fund to cover a school expense line item that would balance the 2016-17 budget. The town also approved the transfer of $400,686 from fringe benefits and $486,632 from the town’s reserve funds, a decision that depleted the town's reserve fund to roughly $500,000.

Canterbury

In Canterbury, the Board of Finance tasked the school system with assuming responsibility for the entirety of Education Cost Sharing cuts. Though the town is notorious for delaying budget votes, residents had approved a budget on schedule for the past three years. This year was the fourth and final budget season for outgoing First Selectman Roy Piper.

Newly appointed First Selectman Chris Lippke brought the budget to a town vote in mid-December. The proposed budget included a 4 percent cut to education and a 2 percent cut to the town, but also offered a flat mill rate. Residents approved the budget in a landslide at a referendum on Dec. 19.

Griswold

In Griswold, officials are concerned about the future of the state budget and how to possibly cover upcoming cuts. Cuts in state aid pulled approximately $920,000 in funding from the town this year. At a Board of Finance meeting close to the end of the year, members approved cuts of $161,800 from the town, $287,000 from the school district and to pull roughly $470,000 from the unassigned fund balance.

Finance Director Erik Christensen said town officials didn't have the appetite to lay off employees this year, but are reeling at the thought of impending holdbacks.

Norwich

The budget impasse quickly became a guessing game, with towns speculating as to when hard numbers from the state could be expected. When the budget impasse lasted until the end of September, Norwich officials said the town was missing out on $2.93 million in state funding sources it anticipated receiving when the City Council adopted the 2017-18 budget.

According to Comptroller Joshua Pothier, the city was due to receive money from two sources of state payments in lieu of taxes at the end of September: $758,666 in payments from private colleges and hospitals and $612,634 for state-owned real estate.

Norwich also missed getting a payment of $248,908 for Town Aid Roads grant funds on Aug. 15, and its largest $1,309,943 in municipal revenue-sharing from motor vehicle taxes, Pothier said.

Plainfield

Although Plainfield passed municipal and education budgets in June, officials were looking for ways to offset roughly $2 million worth of ECS cuts in November. According to Plainfield Superintendent Kenneth DiPietro, the net reduction from the final passed budget plus the Governor Dannel P. Malloy's holdbacks was $2,032,814.

The Board of Finance appropriated $1 million toward the cuts, the Board of Education cut $614,571, with a motion by the Board of Finance to appropriate $343,453 to education, further reducing the deficit to $74,790.

BOE meeting minutes suggest cuts in health costs related to staff reductions, field trip funding and substitutes as well as recovering participant fees from events that have formerly been directed to activity funds.

Saturday
Dec 30, 2017 at 4:37 PM Dec 30, 2017 at 4:37 PM

By Stephanie Menders smenders@norwichbulletin.com (860) 425-4256

Eastern Connecticut's municipal leaders and school superintendents were tasked with difficult decisions this year as a months-long budget impasse from the state turned into millions of dollars worth of holdbacks. The delay left towns and school districts guessing as to what grants and state aid would be cut - and what would survive.

The state eventually passed a budget at the end of October, however here at the end of 2017, many municipal leaders say they are concerned about the future of the state's budget as they grapple with ways to offset the massive cuts they've already been dealt.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn schools recently announced a decision to cut several teachers, including a media specialist, health teacher and technical education teacher. The school system, which has frozen its roughly $17 million budget since Sept. 1, will also save by not filling three paraprofessional vacancies, Superintendent Patricia Buell said.

The Board of Education estimated a $65,000 saving by placing both the middle and elementary schools on the same schedule and consolidating transportation. All in all, the BOE cut roughly $300,000 from its budget.

But the town was not exempt from financial burden, either. At a town meeting, residents authorized the transfer of $66,766 from the town’s reserve fund to cover a school expense line item that would balance the 2016-17 budget. The town also approved the transfer of $400,686 from fringe benefits and $486,632 from the town’s reserve funds, a decision that depleted the town's reserve fund to roughly $500,000.

Canterbury

In Canterbury, the Board of Finance tasked the school system with assuming responsibility for the entirety of Education Cost Sharing cuts. Though the town is notorious for delaying budget votes, residents had approved a budget on schedule for the past three years. This year was the fourth and final budget season for outgoing First Selectman Roy Piper.

Newly appointed First Selectman Chris Lippke brought the budget to a town vote in mid-December. The proposed budget included a 4 percent cut to education and a 2 percent cut to the town, but also offered a flat mill rate. Residents approved the budget in a landslide at a referendum on Dec. 19.

Griswold

In Griswold, officials are concerned about the future of the state budget and how to possibly cover upcoming cuts. Cuts in state aid pulled approximately $920,000 in funding from the town this year. At a Board of Finance meeting close to the end of the year, members approved cuts of $161,800 from the town, $287,000 from the school district and to pull roughly $470,000 from the unassigned fund balance.

Finance Director Erik Christensen said town officials didn't have the appetite to lay off employees this year, but are reeling at the thought of impending holdbacks.

Norwich

The budget impasse quickly became a guessing game, with towns speculating as to when hard numbers from the state could be expected. When the budget impasse lasted until the end of September, Norwich officials said the town was missing out on $2.93 million in state funding sources it anticipated receiving when the City Council adopted the 2017-18 budget.

According to Comptroller Joshua Pothier, the city was due to receive money from two sources of state payments in lieu of taxes at the end of September: $758,666 in payments from private colleges and hospitals and $612,634 for state-owned real estate.

Norwich also missed getting a payment of $248,908 for Town Aid Roads grant funds on Aug. 15, and its largest $1,309,943 in municipal revenue-sharing from motor vehicle taxes, Pothier said.

Plainfield

Although Plainfield passed municipal and education budgets in June, officials were looking for ways to offset roughly $2 million worth of ECS cuts in November. According to Plainfield Superintendent Kenneth DiPietro, the net reduction from the final passed budget plus the Governor Dannel P. Malloy's holdbacks was $2,032,814.

The Board of Finance appropriated $1 million toward the cuts, the Board of Education cut $614,571, with a motion by the Board of Finance to appropriate $343,453 to education, further reducing the deficit to $74,790.

BOE meeting minutes suggest cuts in health costs related to staff reductions, field trip funding and substitutes as well as recovering participant fees from events that have formerly been directed to activity funds.

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