East Granby Annual Budget Town Meeting and Referendum Scheduled

A message from the town of East Granby.

The Annual Budget Town Meeting will be held at the East Granby Senior & Community Center on April 23rd at 7:30 pm. The Town Meeting will consider the Town Budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 (FY14) as recommended by the Boards of Finance, Selectman and Education. 

The proposed budget totals $20,093,553 for an increase of 6.6% which is anticipated by the Board of Finance to represent a 3.85% or .9 mill increase in taxes. The total $20,093,553 budget is comprised of $4,344,540 for General Government or an increase of 3%, $14,721,000 for the Board of Education or an increase of 4.85%, $578,013 for Debt Service or an increase of 232% and $450,000 for the Capital Reserve Fund or an 8.3% increase.

The education budget had been lower but the Board of Finance increased it by approximately $217,000 after an April 9 public hearing on the budget. 

The Debt Service increase represents the first full year of interest and principal payments on the renovation of Allgrove School and the renovation and expansion of Seymour School. The elementary school project is the only debt that the Town currently holds. The Capital Reserve Fund is an amount set aside to cover major, non-recurring purchases such as vehicles, road repair and technology etc. Before any money is spent from the Capital Reserve Fund, it must be approved at a town meeting called for that purpose. 

The Board of Selectmen voted at their April 10 meeting to take the Annual Budget to a machine ballot referendum on May 7, which means that there will not be a vote on the FY14 Budget at the Town Meeting.

The Boards of Finance, Selectman and Education will make a brief presentation and answer any questions at the Town Meeting and then the meeting will be adjourned. The Referendum will take place at the Town’s traditional polling place, the Senior & Community Center on Tuesday, May 7, with the hours to be determined by the Town Meeting. 

While Tuesday's meeting will not involve a vote on the budget itself, First Selectman Jim Hayden said it will involve brief presentations by the Boards of Selectmen, Education and Finance and is a good opportunity for residents to ask any questions they may have. 

Please call the Selectman’s Office at (860) 653-2576 for more information.