New Fairfield to set second referendum date for controversial $52.3M school, $13.6M town budgets

NEW FAIRFIELD — A town meeting will be held next Tuesday to set a date for the town’s second referendum on the 2023-24 budgets.

The June 13 town meeting — which will take place at 7 p.m. in the senior center community room — was set during a special Board of Selectmen meeting Monday.

First Selectman Pat Del Monaco said she anticipates the second budget referendum will take place toward the end of June. Per state law, the date of the referendum has to be no earlier than seven days and no later than 14 days from the date of the June 13 town meeting.

On the second referendum ballot will be a $52.3 million school budget and a $13.6 million town budget, which would translate into a 6.25 percent tax increase for 2023-24.

The failure of New Fairfield’s first budget referendum followed a contentious budget process, which has continued and left many residents outraged with members of the Board of Finance.

During its May 31 special meeting to revise the 202324 spending plans, residents blasted the finance board’s four Republican members for ignoring taxpayers. Rather than listening to residents — who have been calling for little to no cuts — the board voted to reduce the town budget by $100,000 and add $100,000 to the school operating budget.

Some residents walked out of the meeting after Republican board member Thora Perkins said she believed the school community would “appreciate that there at least is more money” after she proposed cutting police overtime by $100,000 and adding that amount to the education budget.

The motions to cut $100,000 from the town budget and add the same amount the school operating budget passed 4-2, with Perkins and fellow Republicans Claudia Willard, Mark Beninson and Dave Coleman voting in favor and Democratic board members Wes Marsh and Cheryl Reedy opposed.

At the recommendation of Marsh, $300,000 was also added to debt service by using $2.2 million of the town’s $3 million bond premium. The motion passed 4-2, with Reedy, Willard and Beninson voting in favor with Marsh. Debt service is included in the education budget, but does not add to funding for school operations.

During the Board of Selectmen’s special meeting Monday morning, Del Monaco said the Board of Finance’s decision to cut $100,000 from town operations is “irresponsible” and makes the 2023-24 budget “absolutely untenable for the town.”

It also doesn’t reflect the wishes of taxpayers, she said, noting that voters approved the $13.7 million town budget presented at the town’s first referendum.

“The town budget passed, so while I agree that money should be added back to the Board of Ed budget, it can’t come from the town budget,” Del Monaco said. “It is beyond egregious to me.”

Selectman Khris Hall agreed, saying the decisions of the Board of Finance majority are costing the town money.

“Every time we have to go to a vote, it costs us money. It’s also going to cost us money in the delay in collecting taxes, which is really important — especially given where interest rates are these days,” she said. “I don’t understand how the Board of Finance could have concluded that this was a good tactic.”

If the public’s reaction to the finance board’s recent budget revisions are any indication of how the second referendum will turn out, Hall said the town will go through the process a third time.