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West Haven council approves dozens of line‑item changes, adds digitization and animal‑control staffing
Summary
During a lengthy budget session, the West Haven City Council approved numerous line‑item adjustments across departments, passed a two‑year $200,000 capital digitization project for engineering, and added one full‑time humane officer in animal control; members also cut $150,000 from unallocated contingency.
The West Haven City Council on Wednesday approved a series of budget adjustments ranging from small classification transfers to multi‑year capital investments as it worked through the mayor’s suggested changes and member amendments.
The council approved dozens of line‑item motions after staff explained technical details or pointed to multi‑year averages. Among the larger decisions, members added a two‑year capital notation to fund engineering digitization — $100,000 in FY26 and $100,000 in FY27 — to capture and preserve paper records the department currently holds, and approved funding for a new full‑time humane officer in animal control (regular wages increase $59,911 plus a related $20,000 increase for benefits).
Why it matters: the digitization appropriation is intended to reduce reliance on legacy paper files and to preserve institutional knowledge; the animal‑control hire addresses an operational gap the department said has affected service delivery.
What the council did and why - Engineering digitization: Councilman Christopher Vargo said the engineering office is largely paper‑based and the proposed $200,000, split over two fiscal years for bonding, is a practical approach to modernize records. The motion passed after members said the amount would likely be spread over two years to match capacity and bonding plans.
- Animal control staffing: The council approved adding a full‑time humane officer and an associated benefits adjustment. Supporters said the role will strengthen animal‑control services; several members voted no but the motion carried.
- Contingency and transfers: Council members approved multiple transfers that move funds between line items to reflect actual practice (for example, reclassifying assistant registrar wages). A proposal to reduce unallocated contingency by $150,000 carried as a council amendment to the mayor’s package.
Other routine technical adjustments approved included increases to copier financing, small transfers among corporation counsel line items, and increases to various permitting fee projections on the revenue side.
Process note: most motions were moved, seconded and taken by roll call. Many adjustments were described by staff as bookkeeping moves to reflect current practice or to consolidate similar accounts for centralized oversight.
What’s next: The decisions record the council’s final line‑by‑line posture on these items for the current budget cycle; departments will proceed under the revised line items and the capital digitization item will enter bonding/implementation planning.
