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Board approves bulk transfers to cover city clerk notices, health relocation and police reprioritizations
Summary
The Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation approved a package of budget transfers covering legal notices in the city clerk’s office, relocation and eviction-related costs in the Health Department, and reprioritization moves across the Police Department.
The Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation on May 5 approved a package of intra-departmental transfers that the board’s staff said are needed to cover legal notices, emergency relocation and eviction-related expenses and routine reprioritization in the police budget.
The transfers were presented in bulk after department staff explained individual line moves. Tom, a city finance staff member, introduced the transfers and called forward department representatives to explain the largest requests.
Irene, representing the City Clerk’s office, said the transfers in her department pay for required legal notices and ordinance publication fees arising when the city updates ordinances. Diana of the Health Department described two transfers from contingency: funds to support relocation services tied to recent fires and eviction responses, and a shift from a vacant full-time environmental‑health position to part‑time funding to maintain mandated services through the end of the fiscal year. Diana said the city pays for storage, moving, auction and disposal fees related to evictions and that relocation costs have risen, prompting the contingency request.
Board members pressed for more detail on recovery of costs. Troy (board member) asked whether the city seeks reimbursement from property owners or their insurers; Diana said the city pursues recovery “whenever the law allows,” and noted a Connecticut statutory cap of $4,000 per unit for recoverable relocation payments when that limit applies. Diana and Tom said the city has pursued liens and worked with the law department in prior cases and that staff would provide the board with a written summary of legal limitations and past recovery efforts.
Mickey and Deputy Chief Melissa LaFleur described the Police Department transfers as routine end‑of‑year reprioritizations to clear small deficits and reallocate surpluses across many line items; staff said additional small transfers are expected in April–June as departments close out the fiscal year.
After discussion, the board approved the transfers as presented.
Board action on transfers: the transfers were moved, discussed and approved in one vote; no detailed roll call tally was recorded in the meeting minutes.
