Village trustees trim budget proposals, set recreation fee and defer some purchases amid falling cable revenue

Village trustees met in a budget work session to review the mayor’s proposed spending plan and a slate of board adjustments, focusing on falling cable franchise revenue, recreation fees, police and fire equipment needs, and possible reductions to elected officials’ stipends.

The board and staff identified the cable franchise account as a shrinking revenue source and agreed to preserve a modest equipment appropriation for the village’s cable/access operation. Staff reported franchise receipts have fallen from earlier six-figure levels and that the franchise account historically funded access-station costs rather than general property taxes; trustees agreed to move about $1,000 into an equipment line to cover an air conditioner, a printer and minor computer needs for the access studio and to ask finance staff to track franchise receipts more conservatively going forward.

On parks and recreation, trustees agreed to a small participation fee for the summer playground program to avoid cancellation. The board set a $20 per-child resident fee and a $25 nonresident fee (the latter to include town participants), and directed staff to split revenue with the Town of Pomfret proportionally based on attendance at each playground. Trustees emphasized that…