Budget Dominates the News

It took nearly 5 ½ hours with some impassioned speeches on the merit of a proposed capital improvement project and a last-minute move to cut $1 million from the Board of Education, before the Representative Town Meeting adopted a $358 million budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

It was after midnight at Central Middle School Monday when the 230-member RTM approved the spending plan for the town and public schools. (Please see video.)

Funding $17 million for the first phase of Greenwich High School Music Instruction Space and Auditorium project was the major flashpoint of discussion. Discussion focused on whether the project was needed and whether it should be delayed until next year. In the end, the project was approved.

The Board of Ed continued to be the debatable topic of  the night with an 11th-hour proposed to cut $1 million from the $135 million budget. The cut was aimed at trying to reduce administration costs but that also failed to win enough support.

The only item cut from the budget was a nearly $40,000 appropriation for the town’s annual fees to be a member of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

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On Wednesday night, the Democratic Town Committee held what turned out to be a rather contentious meeting over whether it could legally endorse and nominate a slate of candidates for the November municipal elections.

In the end, the committee decided to endorse the candidates and abide by state law that mandates formal nominating conventions be held in July.

For the first time in years, the Democrats will be fielding candidates for every position from town clerk, Board of Education, Board of Estimate and Taxation to Board of Selectmen.  There will be two new candidates for the education board – Adriana Ospina and Jennifer Dayton, both of whom garnered enough support to supplant two incumbents – Natalie Queen and Jonathan Cohen.

Previously, John Blankley declared his candidacy for First Selectman. Incumbent Selectman Drew Marzullo announced in February that he would seek reelection.

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With the RTM’s budget vote finalized, the Board of Estimate and Taxation held its tax-rate setting meeting Thursday.

The current rate of 8.87 mills per $1,000 of assessed valuation will rise to 10.11 mills per $1,000 assessed valuation. For residents who live in neighborhoods with sewer service will also see increases of 0.442 mills on the dollar and 0.088 mils on the dollar for the town’s sewer improvement fund. Nearly two-thirds of the town’s 21,000-plus property owners will be assessed for sewer taxes, officials said.

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In its monthly work session, the Board of Education approved a July start of the $17 million first phase of construction for the Greenwich High School Music Instruction Space and Auditorium project.

The project will enlarge the auditorium and create more space for the performing arts programs at the school. It also will involve expanding the school parking lot, widening travel lanes, erecting lighting, and improving storm water runoff. But with the July start instead of a November start, the project will lose up to $375,000 in state reimbursement. Besides reimbursement questions, board members focused on student safety and environmental impact during a work session Thursday night at the Board of Education headquarters. Officials said more work could be done safely during the summer rather than beginning in November when classes are in session.

The board also voted to approve a three-year contract with the Labors International Union of North America Local 136 which represents paraprofessionals and security personnel of Greenwich Public Schools, the Department of Public Works, the Finance Department, and the Nathaniel Witherell nursing home.

The contract with the board is retroactive to July 1, 2010, and will remain in effect until June 30, 2013. Its members will see an increase in their compensation by 1.38 percent, 2.82 percent, and 3.68 percent annually per the contract.