Popular Branford Event Almost Cancelled Due to Overtime Costs

Originally written by Jack Kramer, Correspondent

BRANFORD, CT – One of the things that makes Branford a special town is the annual activities – the Branford Festival, the Branford Road Race, the Memorial Day Parade, the annual fireworks show.

What many people don’t know, though, is that the town came very close to cancelling one of those events – the Branford Road Race this year – because of the cost of hiring police department personnel to work overtime shifts to cover the event.

At the April 24th Board of Finance meeting, the finance board approved allocating funds to the police department budget to pay for the approximate $5,000 cost of providing security at the race.

Police Chief Kevin Halloran told the finance board that the cost of the security for events like the road race, which annually attracts thousands to the town, is becoming more and more difficult, as budgets are getting squeezed for each dollar.

In fact, Halloran said the race organizer was even considering cancelling the popular road race when he heard that the race might have to pay for the cost of private security – which the chief said would likely be triple the cost of having Branford police provide the coverage.

The finance board did vote to allocate the funds to the police department for overtime coverage of the signature town events, because members said, in the end its events like these that make Branford a special place to live.

First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove told the finance board that the events like the road race and the Branford Festival also “have a significant impact on local business” during the days that the events are hold.

Additionally, Cosgrove said, the road race for instance is a major fundraiser for area nonprofits, donating, he said, close to $4,000 annually.

(Editor's Note: This story first ran previously but here it is again in case you missed it.)