Westport considers $223.8M budget with $5.2M increase

WESTPORT — Town officials are considering a $223.8 million budget, which is $5.2 million more than the current year.

The Board of Education budget is about $130.3 million, the town budget is about $78 million, and other expenses, like debt service make up the rest.

First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker recently presented the overall budget request, speaking to the town’s piece of it, which is 1.2 percent more than the current year.

“The steps we take today will ensure all of Westporters continue to enjoy our town for decades to come,” she said.

Public safety accounts for the biggest part of the town budget at $23.8 million, or 31 percent. It’s followed by pension and other benefit costs at $19.67 million, or 25 percent, with public works rounding out the top three at $12.2 million.

Tooker said this breakdown doesn’t fully capture the savings expected from the new regional dispatch center that opened with Fairfield this week.

She said the operating budget, along with capital requests, address a number of priorities, including making local amenities more accessible and enjoyable, addressing mental health and wellness needs, as well as improving infrastructure, traffic and pedestrian safety.

“There are real infrastructure needs that we need to address in regards to storm resiliency and flooding and pedestrian safety and traffic concerns,” Tooker said.

The town is also working on improving streams and focusing on bridge and culvert repairs.

Tooker plans to revitalize downtown with a multi-year plan to improve access to dining, shopping, arts and culture institutions and the waterfront.

The budget also includes money for a salary survey and to look at job descriptions to ensure the town is attracting and retaining a strong and diverse workforce.

“We know and research shows that operations that hire and retain employees with diverse backgrounds are more effective and more successful in the long run,” she said.

The new park superintendent, as well as planned improvements for fields, beaches and parks including Longshore, will also improve the town’s recreational opportunities. Tooker said more residents have been using these amenities since the pandemic started and fewer people are commuting for work.

There will also be a new parks and recreational fee structure which will likely bring in more revenue than budgeted.

Westport is expecting to get an increase of $21.8 million in non-tax revenue compared to the current fiscal year. This includes more revenue from parks and recreation, conveyance fees, building inspections and planning and zoning permits, Tooker said.

There are also some proposed efficiencies in the budget, including a new online land use permitting system that will be used across several departments, and new technology that can take the place of on-site assessor visits.

“We know we are trying to do a lot in a time of economic uncertainty, including but not limited to inflationary pressures, a tight labor market, increasing costs of labor, global turmoil and plenty of finacial market volatility,” Tooker said.

The board of finance budget meetings continue next week.