Frances Moore, Staff Writer
Published: 01:09 a.m., Wednesday, May 5, 2010
FAIRFIELD -- Deciding to forego its usual 11 p.m. cut-off time, the Representative Town Meeting pushed through its proposed budget discussions Tuesday night, making $193,609 in cuts to the budget recommended by the Board of Finance. The approved town budget is $251,541,113.
Tuesday night's RTM meeting focused largely on emergency services. The RTM voted to restore $89,000 to the police budget, which would allow the department to hire another detective.
The department made the recommendation for additional personnel in response to the Fairfield's increased crime rate in the last year, according to Police Chief Dave Peck.
"In 2009, the world as we know it changed," Peck said, referring to the national economic downturn. As a result, the town has seen an increase in home and car break-ins, for example.
White-collar and Internet-based crimes have also seen a dramatic uptick in the last couple years, which translates to longer hours for the town's detectives.
"The Internet has made these cases immeasurably more difficult," Assistant Chief Gary McNamara said.
RTM member Ed Bateson, R-3, originally recommended cutting $137,826 to the requested police budget, after which Kevin Hoffkins, D-7, recommended only cutting $48,000, which would keep the new detective position.
It wasn't an easy decision for the town body, as the vote came down to a three-point margin, with 23 in favor, 20 opposed and on abstention to Hoffkins' amendment.
First Selectman Ken Flatto supported cutting $48,000 to the police budget and did not seek further restorations as a measure of thanks to the RTM for recognizing the need for the additional police personnel.
Flatto also pointed out that the Fairfield Police Department is the "least-funded police department in the state in terms of manpower."
Supporting the police department's request, RTM member and Health and Safety Committee Chairman Brenda Kupchick, R-6, said, "If we don't feel safe in our own neighborhoods, then Fairfield loses what makes us feel special."
The Fairfield Fire Department was another source of discussion Tuesday night.
Responding to a proposal to reduce the fire department's requested budget by $49,941, Fire Chief Richard Felner cited what he said is a dire need to repair the department's facilities.
"There are things that have to be done. I can't keep maintaining these buildings," Felner said.
For example, the storm that ripped through Fairfield County in early March also ripped through Station 1, exposing asbestos in the station's basement, which has been closed off, pending asbestos removal. Felner said that there are leaky ceilings and the department has had to set up tarps to protect them from the rain.
Ultimately, the fire department's budget was not restored to its original request, and the RTM ultimately approved the $49,941 cut.
The Fairfield Public Library was able to retain $10,000 of its requested budget, which library Director Karen Ronald said would be used for things like purchasing summer reading books for students.
The library experienced a $70,000 cut in its materials budget for this fiscal year. Combined with an increase in materials costs and an increased demand for materials, Ronald said that this $10,000 is critical to meeting the community's needs.
Brian Kelahan, president of the library board, urged the RTM members to remember why they were elected.
"You didn't do this because you wanted a community that had a reduction in services," he said. "Every single thing we do at the library connects one person to another and builds connection.
"In a time when we are struggling financially, emotionally, because of economic problems, don't we need to make connections with each other?"
RTM member Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-6, supported the library's request.
"Every citizen of this town from infants to senior citizens has access and regularly uses our town libraries. These materials are resources that those who are unemployed can make us of in seeking a job," She said. "I absolutely urge you to vote against this amendment. We are not just about trying to lower taxes. We are also about providing quality service to the town."
Upon final approval of the budget, Chief Fiscal Officer Paul Hiller will determine the mill rate.