First selectman proposes adding police officer in his $22.6M budget
SOUTHBURY — First Selectman Jeffrey Manville is proposing a municipal budget for the upcoming fiscal year of $22.6 million, which would represent a 2.88 percent increase over the previous year.
“With inflation, fuel cost going up, the minimum wage going up, you factor all that in and it pushes that budget number up and it’s difficult to control,” said Manville, who is in his fourth term as first selectman. “All of my budgets have beaten inflation and this one does too. I think this is a responsible budget.”
The proposal includes an additional police officer, which will bring the town’s force to 25 cops.
He said he had to slim down the proposal after department heads submitted “wish list” budgets that would have put the increase at 8 percent.
“Some of their requests we just couldn’t do and it was important to reduce that 8 percent increase,” he said.
Southbury Finance Director Dan Colton agrees with Manville that it’s a good budget even with the added expense of a new officer.
“Inflationary pressure made us work hard to get this budget to a manageable number without cutting services,” Colton said. “For example, Jeff is proposing adding a 25th police officer. Given the annual inflation rate in the U.S. was 6.5 percent on Dec. 31, I feel 2.9 percent (rounded up) is a responsible budget.”
Manville has submitted the proposed budget to the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance.
They will meet at a yet-tobe-determined date for budget discussions with the budget going to referendum in May.
Manville said the additional police officer contributes to the increase in the budget, but he said it’s the right time to add an officer. He cited the Police Accountability Act as another reason to add an officer.
“Some people don’t understand the cost of adding a police officer,” Manville said. “It’s more than just his or her salary. There are uniform costs, medical insurance, pension and other items. But adding a police officer is a good thing to do. We need to keep our basic patrols covered and the extra officer will help do that.”
He said the proposal covers the town’s needs.
“With this budget no services will be cut,” he said. “With this budget no capital improvements will be pushed off. I don’t kick capital improvements down the road like some other municipalities do. You kick capital improvements down the road and they cost more money down the road.”
The superintendent for Pomperaug Regional School District 15, which covers Southbury and Middlebury, is scheduled to give his budget presentation at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27 at the Pomperaug High School Media Center, according to the district’s website.