Redding Board of Selectmen Approve 1.15% Budget Increase For Town

Redding's selectmen approved the 2011-2012 town operating budget on Monday night.

The budget — which represents a 1.15 percent increase to $13,074,089, up $148,070 from the current budget — was passed unanimously on a windy Valentine’s Day night at .

“I think it’s a responsible budget with a minimal increase [that’s been] done responsibly, line by line, department by department,” said Selectman Don Takacs.

New equipment for the Highway Department

The highway department, which has been highly active during this crushing winter, was allocated $491,000 to its capital budget (which does not include refurbishments and maintenance).

Superintendent of the Redding Highway Department, Bruce Sanford, shed some light as to why the department needed those funds.

“We’re trying to give [the Redding taxpayer] the best” for the current budget, and not “the best equipment” that money can buy, said Sanford.

“My heart goes out to the taxpayers. I have a big household, I know how it is, how much [high taxes] hurt," he said. "But it’s not just for me. It’s for everyone."

The $491,000 allocation will supply the highway department with a new heavy-duty, plow-equipped Jeep Wrangler for smaller plowing jobs, a new truck and a new mower, among other things.

“In the spring we’ll have to figure out the roads," Sanford said. "I was looking at the roads today, and they’re bad. I can’t believe how bad they are — how bad the cracks are,."

Sanford, who , noted that the highway department was not as over budget as some might expect.

“I’m over budget a little on salt and sand, but not much,” he said.

It was noted that the Road Restoration Project will have to be better funded to repair this winter’s lambasting.  

Some other allocations

Three mobile speed monitors, worth about $4,500 a piece, were allocated to the .

 was given $10,000 out a request for $17,200.

Not in the budget: A new athletic field

Redding Community Center Field #2, the higher field, is going to be updated to artificial turf after “many years” of trying to do so, said Takacs.

Takacs said that the pseudo-earth will increase field durability, improve drainage, allow for immediately consecutive games, and will increase overall season time because the field would be available to play on more frequently than traditional fields. The artificial field will not be lighted.

“We will improve the use we get out of exisiting fields,” said Takacs.

First Selectman Natalie Ketcham also voiced concern over drainage problems in current fields, especially after this winter.

“It will be interesting…to see how neighboring towns” do with current, natural fields as the thaw gives way in the spring, said Ketcham. “It may be a while, I feel, for our teams to play on the [natural] fields” after this winter.

“No town funds will be expended on the development of this field, although the town will own the field—that’s the plan,” said Tackas.

Funds for the field will be privately supplied: $400,000 in grant money has been allocated for the new field; $50,000 of that has been spent so far. Donations to the project are tax deductible, and can be mailed to PO Box 779, Georgetown, CT 06829.

Educational structure

Selectman Julia Pemberton updated the board about the goings on of the Educational Structure and Way of Working Committee — a group designed to see whether the current structure of Redding and Easton's schools is best or whether something should be changed — which will be looking to bring in a consultant soon.

However “the tri-Board did not motion to pass funds” for the consultant when it created the ESWWC, said Pemberton.

The consultant for the committee will be someone directly involved with the school systems; for instance, a former superintendent or someone with similarly close ties, said Pemberton.

On March 3, the Board of Selectmen will meet again to take a closer look at the driving forces that forced the 1.15 percent increase.