New Canaan officials outline fiscal 2026 budget, cite union settlements and one new engineering hire

Town staff reviewed the draft fiscal 2026 operating budget at a public workshop, saying the recommended spending level is higher than the prior adopted figure once recently settled union contracts are included and one additional engineering hire is added.

The presentation noted that the town’s overall recommended increase moves the budget toward internal guidance; officials said a recently settled Department of Public Works contract changed several pay lines and that adding a proposed engineering technician accounts for roughly a $104,000 personnel increase. Finance staff said the technician would be a field‑facing employee who would handle routine site visits, residential complaints and some project oversight to free senior engineers for higher‑priority work. Town staff said if that single hire were excluded, the budget would be closer to the guidance number presented earlier in the process.

The presentation also identified apparent discrepancies between the budget book’s front‑end summary and the detailed position lines. Finance staff agreed to reconcile the fiscal 2025 revised totals shown in the back of the book with what was adopted, and to present corrected figures so the year‑over‑year percentage changes are apples‑to‑apples. Town leaders told the group they do not want to present an inflated year‑to‑year percentage based on timing differences from ongoing collective bargaining that were previously held in contingency.

Budget presenters said the FY2026 personnel increase in certain departments reflects collective bargaining cost‑of‑living adjustments (COLAs) that were not fully known during the earlier draft stage. In one example, a 7.15% year‑over‑year change shown in the book’s summary reflects adopted changes compared with recommended numbers; presenters acknowledged that the number can appear misleading until staff updates the fiscal 2025 revised totals.

Several members of the town leadership group asked for clearer back‑of‑book reconciliation and for a timeline showing when the engineering position could be posted if the money is approved; presenters said the goal would be to hire prior to July 1 if funds are available so the new hire could be in place for the construction season.

Aside from the engineering hire, presenters walked through department‑level salary and benefit adjustments caused by contract settlements and routine operating changes. They said many departments are holding flat outside contractor budgets where possible, but that some contract lines bumped because of contract renewals and market pressure on services.

Town staff committed to circulate corrected budget book numbers and additional detail on the proposed engineering job description and recruitment timing before the next public presentation of the budget.