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09/30/2024 12:43 PMA sparsely populated number of town electors approved three financial measures at North Haven’s Annual Town Meeting on Sept. 23.
Town electors initially approved the transfer of $1,523,523.09, the sum total of around 12 out of 500 line items in the previous year’s fiscal year budget that were determined to be over budget. First Selectman Mike Freda said the routine measure is something the town is required to do “by charter.”
Freda said the money does not indicate that the town is exceeding its annual budget, as it is “far from the case,” he told the electors. He explained that the sum total was “made up in other areas” of the budget, such as increased revenue and interest income, and was expected to budget less for other town expenses.
Some of the line items that were deemed over budget include monies for contractual replacement staff within the fire department, with a total of $115,213,57 over.
“The fire department had some workers comp people out, so we had to pay overtime,” Freda explained.
Another area raised was the medical insurance line item for town employees, which was a total of $981,277 over budget.
“Sadly and unfortunately, we have had a lot of illnesses within the town, some very serious illnesses that required life and death treatment. So we could have never forecasted that,” said Freda.
Freda added that, ultimately, the Town did finish the previous fiscal year on the plus side of the difference between revenue and expenses with a “modest surplus…of approximately $227,000.” He cited this finding whilst responding to resident Fred Loewenbaum, who asked the first selectman if North Haven citizens should expect to pay tax on the sum total, to which Freda said “no.”
Town electors approved a resolution that $3 million be added to $3,000,000 in appropriation and borrowing authorization to finance the recently completed Sackett Point Bridge reconstruction project.
The project’s cost inflated from its initial projected cost of $12 million to $15 million, with the “current inflationary environment,” among other economic factors, being a primary reason, according to the Town.
For the $15 million project, the Town expects to be reimbursed for the project by the state and federal government at a rate of 90%, according to Freda. This includes $2.7 million out of the newly approved $3 million, while the Town’s responsibility is $300,000 out of that figure.
From a public safety perspective, Freda said the completion of the project “has improved the infrastructure” and “perpetuated the safety of our residents and visitors to the town and trucks traversing over that bridge.”
Freda acknowledged that several factors and revelations delayed the 16-year-old project that was initially approved in 2005. These included a fish migration issue that was found below the bridge in the Quinnipiac River, a sewer pipe underneath the bridge that was suddenly crushed and needed repair to prevent backups, and the construction of the middle school and fire stations.
The third measure approved by town residents was to authorize the Tax Collector “to retain certain excess payments…provided that the amount of the excess payment is less than $5.”