Flatto's original budget proposal was for $229,469,687, which would mean a 4.5 percent increase for taxpayers. Flatto's proposal includes the projected town operating budget of $74.2 million, the Board of Education budget of $131 million and $23.8 million debt services budget.

The Board of Selectmen voted to increase the proposed budget by $98,133, which included additional funding in the public safety, recreation and private school bus line items.

The Board of Finance is expected to begin deliberations on the 2007-08 budget of $229,567,820 Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Education Center. The mill rate is 16.67 mills; if the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting approve the selectmen's recommendations, the mill rate would be 17.42 mills. The tax increase would remain at approximately 4.5 percent.

The first item on Wednesday's agenda was the Board of Education budget. During deliberations, Selectman Denise Dougiello stated that she had "no current recommendations and I plan on supporting the first selectman's recommendations for the Board of Education budget."

Flatto, addressing his recommendations, said he believed the current budget proposal was "pretty fair" and said, "I believe the [Superintendent of Schools Ann Clark], her staff and the Board [of Education] did a really great job overall."

Piggybacking on Flatto's comments, Dougiello also thanked Clark, her staff and the education board "for taking a good hard look" at its proposed budget while at the same time "keeping with the quality of education" that Fairfield is known for.

While Selectman Steve Elworthy also commended Clark, her staff and the Board of Education for "for putting together a tight budget," he believed there was a need for an additional bus in the private school fleet. Flatto's initial recommendation called for a total of 19 buses; Elworthy's motion would make it 20.

In Flatto's original recommendation, he supported placing an additional bus on the private school system fleet and three additional buses for the public school fleet.

Elworthy said he was "concerned" with the number of buses proposed for the private school system and made a motion to increase that fleet by one. Flatto seconded the motion.

Dougiello told her colleagues she supported the motion because she didn't want to see the private school bus rides "get any longer" than what they already are.

Some bus rides, such as to Holy Family School and Unquowa School, according to John Ficke, transportation supervisor with the Fairfield Public Schools, are "over an hour" long. St Thomas the Aquinas and Fairfield Country Day School are also "very long bus rides," he said. The additional bus "will enable us to reduce those times," he said.

"I would support [this motion] to keep everything running smoothly and on time," Dougiello said.

The Board of Selectmen than unanimously supported Elworthy's motion to add an additional bus to the private school fleet, which would cost an additional $55,456.

Ficke said yesterday that the public school system was "definitely happy" about the addition and said "parents of private school children feel [there] is an inequality" between the amount of time private school students and public school students spend on the bus.

Now with the selectmen's recommendation, pending Board of Finance approval, the entire fleet for the public school is 20 and 70 for the public school fleet.

The selectmen then tackled Flatto's proposed public safety request, which includes the Police and Fire departments.

The Police Department put in a budget request of $13,298,773, which Flatto proposed decreasing to $13,177,173.

Part of Flatto's reduction came from a capital replacement request to create a School Safety Zone on Unquowa Road. The new safety zone would be located on Unquowa Road near Tomlinson and Roger Ludlowe middle schools and Fairfield Ludlowe High School. According to the request, this road in particular was chosen due to the large school population and its proximity to the train station, which produces heavy vehicular traffic.

The project calls for installing two solar-powered LED school warning signs, pavement markers stating "School Zone," fog lanes and virtual speed reduction markers. According to the proposal, it will "create a visual impact alerting motorists they are entering a unique area with heavy pedestrian traffic."

Although the department put in a request of $11,200 to create a school safety zone, Flatto originally recommended $5,600.

Flatto on Wednesday told his colleagues that he would prefer to reinstate that request to a full $11,200 because he was originally under the belief that the project would be completed in two years, broken up to each side of the street per year. Instead, he said, it would be done in one shot. He then made a motion to fully restore the budget request.

Elworthy than commended Flatto and said, "I'm glad you agree and I agree with you. I think it's important to have it on both sides of the street."

The selectmen then voted unanimously to approve Flatto's motion to fully restore the school safety zone request of $11,200.

The Fire Department requested an annual budget of $11,355,034, which Flatto cut to $11,272,218. Included in the Fire Department's budget request was a capital replacement request of $29,000 for protective clothing, which Flatto cut by $12,000.

According to the Fire Department's proposal, primary protective clothing "is worn by firefighters during routine activities which include firefighting, rescue [and] hazardous material incidents." The proposed budget states that the protective clothing has an average shelf life of three to seven years.

Firefighters are required to inspect all gear on a monthly basis, the request states, and they must disregard any gear that does not meet the National Fire Protection Association's standards. Many of Fairfield's firefighters "currently have one set of protective clothing," and continuing a protective clothing replacement program "will enable the department to expand the useful life of our gear," the proposal states.

The department also states that "almost all" of its reserve gear has been distributed, and it currently "would not be able to provide replacement gear" if clothing were to be damaged or destroyed.

Elworthy said he would like to see the Fire Department's request fully reinstated and made a motion to do so. "I'm very concerned for the safety of the firemen. I feel I would like to go with their recommendation and raise that [request] to $29,000," Elworthy said.

Flatto responded to Elworthy's motion by saying, "I obviously want to see the right amount of gear." The reason for the original reduction, Flatto said, was because he felt there was enough money in the clothing dry goods line item and preferred that this type of request be in the supplemental request and not the capital replacement request. With that said, Flatto stated, "I don't have a problem with adding the $12,000 just to play it safe."

Dougiello said she would not support Elworthy's motion because she preferred this type of request come from the supplemental line item and not the capital line item. Dougiello also said, in the future, it was something the Fire Commission should be aware of.

Elworthy's motion passed 2-1 with Dougiello opposed.

As for the Parks and Recreation Department, it is proposing a budget of $3,183,167, which includes allocations for Penfield Pavilion, beaches and lifeguards, the Fourth of July celebration, the Memorial Day parade, and the South Pine Creek and H. Smith Richardson golf courses.

During the March 1 joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance budget hearing, under the H. Smith Richardson Golf Course capital request, which totals $26,000, Parks and Recreation Director Gerry Lombardo said that although the first selectman removed a $10,000 recreation request for a Turfco sand spreader, he asked the boards to consider placing it back on the capital replacement request.

The H. Smith Richardson budget also included a $6,000 request to replace a PTO blower, which Flatto supported. Peter Grace, superintendent of the course, then told the boards at the March 1 meeting, "I would prefer the sand spreader over the blower if I had to make a choice, I'd go with the sand spreader for $10,000."

During Wednesday's meeting, Elworthy said he wanted to abide by Lombardo's and Grace's wishes and omit the PTO blower and in its place reinstate the sand spreader. Without discussion the selectman voted 2-1 to support Elworthy's motion with Flatto in opposition although he did not comment as to why.

After the selectmen voted unanimously to approve the proposed 2007-08 budget they then voted unanimously to approve a bond resolution to appropriate $3,306,595 for the cost of non-recurring capital projects.

Those non-recurring capital items include $460,000 for a flood mitigation project, which would install new drainage systems in the Southport section of town. The mitigation project would reduce flooding on Barberry Lane, Bonney Terrace, Flora Boulevard, Juniper Lane, Lee Drive, Mill Hill Road between Mill Hill Terrace and Warner Hill Road, Rita Avenue and South Street.

There is also a $435,000 proposal to repave Barry Scott Drive, Birch Road, Congress Street from Route 58 to 59, Fairfield Beach Road from Reef Road to Beach Road, Edward Street and Old Stratfield Road from Melville Avenue to Tunxis Hill Cutoff.

Also included in the non-recurring capital are upgrades, amounting to $270,595, to public safety buildings. There is a $175,000 proposal to replace the Police Department's air-conditioning unit, which has not been renovated since 1976, and $60,595 to refurbish the Detective Bureau. Station 3 on Jackman Avenue is also proposing $35,000 for exterior repairs.

There is a $225,000 proposal to replace the Old Town Hall roof, which, according to the proposal, is made up of "brittle asbestos shingles" that are "way beyond" their useful life.

The most costly proposals on the Board of Education side of the non-recurring capital are $350,000 for major classroom window replacement at Riverfield Elementary School and $250,000 to replace three portable classrooms at Mill Hill Elementary School, which according to the proposal, "are among the oldest in the district." The Board of Education is also requesting $200,000 for building envelope repairs at FLHS and $200,000 for new acoustical ceilings and lights at Holland Hill Elementary School.