TOLLAND – Salaries and public works materials are two of the key factors driving a 4.5 percent hike in the town budget to be voted at this year’s annual Town Meeting.

At a budget hearing on April 19, Selectman Steve DellaGiustina said town workers deserve a 3 percent across-the-board raise. What’s more, the town needs it.

“We’re trying to keep our employees that we’re very happy with, and we’re very happy with all of them,” DellaGiustina said.

Two Highway Department workers are getting a larger raise, he said, because their salaries were so far below the market level. Additionally, the town will have to begin paying a competitive wage to its building inspector, now that Eric Munson Jr. is retiring from public service. Munson, who is also the longtime chair of the Board of Selectmen, had taken a discounted pay rate, DellaGiustina said.
In all, salaries represent the largest single line-item increase in the fiscal year 2023 budget, at $21,496, or 4.69 percent over the current year’s cost.

Selectmen presented townspeople with a $2,192,694.49 town budget. The budget will be voted at this year’s annual Town Meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. on May 9 in the Public Safety Complex, 206 W. Granville Rd, All registered voters in town are invited to participate.

Other rising costs in the budget include an $18,200 or 15.55 percent hike for public works, which newly hired Highway Superintendent Kate Donovan attributed to increases in the cost of road construction and construction materials; and a $12,421 or 31.68 percent rise for the Fire Department, most of which consists of one-time costs to outfit the town’s new rescue truck.

Town resident Bob Bitso questioned the fire truck spending, stating that when the town bought the used pickup truck for $80,000 last year, he thought the price included all the upgrades it would need for fire service. The town’s volunteer firefighters had been called away for mandatory state training on April 19, so no one was able to address Bitso’s concerns.

The animal control officer and Board of Health are also seeing increases to their budgets. Officials attributed these hikes to the cost of state-mandated training.
Because of declining enrollment by Tolland pupils, the school budget will see only a modest increase, $5,463, or 1.27 percent. That is because school costs are apportioned among the three towns in the district according to student headcount.

“We’re not taking a hit this year,” DellaGiustina said. “Granville and Southwick are.”

The line item with the largest decrease is utilities, where the expense is dropping from $50,000 to $40,000. Town Moderator Patrick Story said that is because the town is starting to see savings from environmentally friendly renovations funded by a $126,000 state grant. The town is using less electricity and fuel oil after converting the Public Safety Complex and Town Hall lights to LEDs, fixing ventilator controls in the Public Safety Complex so that the blowers don’t run all day, and converting the library from oil heat to electric.

Other articles on the Town Meeting warrant include proposals to officially combine the positions of town treasurer and tax collector – both have been filled by the same person, Margaret McClellan, for several years – and to convert both the town clerk and the treasurer-collector into appointed positions, rather than election. If the article passes, the clerk, collector and treasurer elected this month would be able to serve their complete three-year terms before the selectmen appoint a successor. Susan Voudren, the current town clerk, is running unopposed for re-election on the May 24 ballot, as is McClellan for both of her elected positions.

The warrant also asks voters to deposit $145,000 into the town’s stabilization, or savings, fund.