The Board of Selectmen on June 16 approved a series of budgetary line-item transfers across departments to cover midyear overages, support programming and accept an assessor/tax-collector recommendation for the municipal suspense list.
Key transfers (approved unanimously):
- Helping Hands (social services): $3,000 moved from general labor to restore a previously reduced contribution and provide immediate funding for homecare services.
- Recreation: $4,009.08 reallocated to support seasonal staffing, maintenance and contracted services (portable toilets, hauling) and summer programs.
- Police: $1,898 transferred to cover gasoline and diesel overages and to correct a contracted-services report line item.
- Economic Development Commission (EDC) marketing: $3,886 reallocated to fund a locally produced promotional video; EDC will use a town-dedicated fund donation and internal reallocations for part of the cost.
- Fire Department: $6,000 transferred among salary and utility/maintenance lines to cover higher-than-expected telephone, fuel, electricity and tire costs.
- Land Use/Planning: A larger set of reallocations totaling $26,004.63 addressed staffing vacancies, outside-services spending, vehicle maintenance and related costs following turnover and program needs.
- Assessor and Tax Collection: smaller transfers to cover required subscriptions and printing costs.
Tax suspense list: Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes sections 12-165 and 12-167 (as cited in the meeting), the board accepted the tax collector’s 2025 municipal suspense list in the amount of $68,367.06 for items deemed uncollectible for reasons including businesses closed, unlocated taxpayers, returned mail, or DMV registration holds.
Why it matters: The transfers reflect common midyear budget adjustments to ensure departments can complete seasonal work and essential services without exceeding fiscal-year limits. Acceptance of the suspense list is an annual housekeeping step required by state statute to clear uncollectible receivables from active collections records.
Votes and procedure: All transfer motions were moved, seconded and approved by recorded unanimous voice votes on the consent of the board. The suspense list was approved; the tax collector will file paperwork consistent with state statute.