Budget Cuts Unveiled After RTM Republicans Bring Secrecy Into Public Meeting

Editor's note: This is the first of several articles on the Representative Town Meeting's review Monday night of the proposed $264 million town budget for 2011-12.

Most residents who spoke at Monday night's public hearing on the $264 million town budget for the next fiscal year were against a plan to cut $1.2 million from the Board of Education's proposed $146.5 million budget.

But James Millington, the Republican majority leader on the Representative Town Meeting, didn't mention the $1.2 million cut until he brought the secrecy of GOP budget deliberations into Monday night's public RTM meeting, upsetting Democrats on the RTM and members of the public.

The 38 Republicans on the RTM had a written copy of three dozen suggested cuts to the proposed $264 million town budget, but the GOP decided not to give a written copy to 12 Democrats on the RTM or members of the public. That decision followed RTM Republicans' decision to meet in secret over the past few weeks to discuss the proposed budget, which is allowed under state Freedom of Information laws because the meetings are considered a "caucus" of one political party.

But Monday night's RTM meeting was a public meeting, and Patti Dyer, D-6, asked Millington if he could provide Democrats with the written list of proposed cuts. Millington said he didn't have any extra copies and that RTM members sitting next to each other could share a spreadsheet.

Dyer said, "It's impossible for the 12 members who are not sharing spreadsheets to follow along in a lengthy presentation."

Millington suggested that Dyer sit next to a Republican who had a copy.

The ensuing turmoil led RTM Republicans to leave Osborn Hill School's all-purpose room to meet in a closed-door caucus, and, when they emerged about 10 minutes later, copies of the suggested cuts had been made for RTM Democrats and members of the public who got to the Town Clerk's table first.

"I appreciate that we were able to have the sheet to follow," said Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-6, the RTM's minority leader, after copies had been made. "I think we all take this incredibly seriously. We are the Representative Town Meeting, not the Republican Town Meeting or the Democratic Town Meeting. I think it was really important for us to have these papers, even with the mistakes and errors, to see what's going on."

"Let's just remember we're the Representative Town Meeting, together, both parties," Vahey said.

Dyer said, "Thank you, Jamie, for sharing your worksheets with us."

The list of suggested cuts from the RTM's Republican caucus - which will be voted on at 8 p.m. Monday in Osborn Hill School - included:

* $1.2 million from the Board of Education's proposed budget, which the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance previously cut by $2 million;

* $106,972 from general town departments and commissions;

* $26,500 from non-profits;

* $195,871 from town finance departments;

* $55,471 from public safety departments;

* $193,413 from public works;

* $2,754 from health and welfare departments;

* $113,290 from culture and recreation departments;

* $70,217 from the Water Pollution Control Authority.

The overall total of suggested cuts by the RTM's Republican caucus was nearly $2 million.

"Some of the things I announce tonight may not be supported by the entire Republican caucus as we stand tonight," Millington said when he first arrived at the podium.

The following is a breakdown of what Millington said RTM Republicans plan to propose as cuts to the proposed $264 million town budget when the RTM meets at 8 p.m. Monday in Osborn Hill School. The RTM will vote on the proposed cuts during that meeting and adopt a town budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Board of Selectmen, $150.

Town Clerk, $10,250.

Administrative Services: $5,493.

Registrars of Voters: $12,380.

Town Planning and Zoning: $3,000.

Conservation: $45,749.

Legal Services: $27,050.

Human Resources: $2,700.

Community and Economic Development: $100.

Harbor Management Commission: $100.

Total for "General Gov't - Admin & General" - $106,972.

The Discovery Museum: $6,000.

Audubon Society: $3,000.

Fairfield Museum and History Center: $17,500.

Total for "General Gov't - Misc" - $26,500.

Finance: $2,240.

Purchasing: $804.

Assessor: $1,325.

Tax Collector: $1,002.

Information Technology: $190,500.

Total for "Finance" - $195,871.

Fire Department: $35,647.

Police Department: $15,524.

Animal Control: $1,000.

Emergency Communications Center: $3,300.

Total for "Public Safety" - $55,471.

Public Works Administration: $12,335.

Public Works Operations: $149,295.

Flood and Erosion Control: $1,500.

Building: $448.

Engineering: $29,835.

Total for "Public Works" - $193,413.

Health: $65.

Human and Social Services: $2,144.

Solid Waste and Recycling: $545.

Total for "Health and Welfare" - $2,754.

Library: $68,490.

Parks and Recreation: $2,467.

South Pine Creek Golf Course: $3,603.

H. Smith Richardson Golf Course: $38,730.

Total for "Culture and Recreation" - $113,290.

Board of Education: $1.2 million (this figure was handwritten after the figure of $1.175 million was scratched out on the spreadsheet.)

Total for "Board of Education" - $1.175 million (the total figure was not replaced with $1.2 million.)

Water Pollution Control Authority: $70,217.

Total for "Water Pollution Control Authority" - $70,217.

In addition to the list of suggested cuts read by Millington, which totaled nearly $2 million, William Llewellyn, R-7, said he planned to propose a total cut of $198,826 in overtime accounts in town department budgets as a way of objecting to longevity and work attendance bonuses that are mandated in contracts.

Ann Stamler, D-5, proposed a total cut of $263,864 to town department budgets, though she said some of her suggested cuts may overlap with cuts proposed by Millington and, if they did, she would not propose cuts on top of the ones read by Millington.

The RTM didn't talk about where within town departments the suggested cuts would come from, which prompted Brian Kelahan, chairman of the Fairfield Board of Library Trustees, to ask toward the end of the meeting, "Are we going to find out where these cuts are going to be coming from?"

Jeffrey Steele, R-2, the RTM's moderator, said the RTM wouldn't answer questions from the public but would only take comments.

Kelahan said, "I don't know where the cuts are supposed to be coming from."

Millington said he planned to send an e-mail to town department heads on Tuesday that identified where the cuts would come from within their proposed budgets. Millington said that e-mail would be provided to the media on Tuesday as well.