Committee refers FY2025–26 budget measures to full council after department presentations

The Committee on Planning, Zoning, and Housing met May 6 and voted to refer three budget resolutions for fiscal year 2025–26 back to the full City Council with neutral recommendations after department heads outlined key cost drivers and answered members’ questions.

The committee approved referral motions by voice vote on a general fund resolution (item 36785-1), a special revenue and enterprise funds resolution (36786-1), and the capital improvement appropriation (36767-1). Each motion was made and seconded on the record and carried by the committee; the chair announced, “The eyes have it.” No numerical tallies were given in the meeting minutes.

Why it matters: the presentations highlighted specific pressure points that will shape council-level debate — notably the police department’s new technology contract, the fire department’s overtime and contractual obligations, persistent staffing and inspection backlogs in building and health, rising part-time wages for recreation programs, and higher utility and IT costs across city facilities.

Chief Marino, presenting the police budget, said the largest single increase for the department is the Axon contract for consolidated body and dashboard camera systems and related technology, calling it part of “that group of unfunded mandates we have to cover.” He told members the consolidated contract produced an estimated savings “just over $100,000 in the first year” compared with the prior piecemeal system, and that the Axon contract line item is a substantial portion of the department’s proposed increase. Council members pressed him on staffing; Marino said the contract minimum staffing level is 165 officers, the department currently lists roughly 156 on staff with nine to 11 positions in the hiring pipeline, and that the department sees roughly $2 million in revenue from private-duty details and hosted academy classes.

Fire Chief Ortiz said the proposed fire budget represents an 8.5% increase over last year, with salaries, overtime and contractual obligations making up 94.2% of the request. Ortiz said about $1.37 million of the requested increase is contractual and that much of the overtime budget — roughly $1.8 million — is for shift coverage to account for vacations, holidays and FMLA. He also noted the department has secured grant-funded training dollars that will support in-house training through 2028.

Francine Truglio, acting director of Building and Health Services, said the department is in transition and is not asking for major new operating increases but is seeking one full-time building inspector to address backlog. She reported the department had issued 252 permits year-to-date, performed more than 4,000 inspections, and collected about $1,636,000 in permit revenue. On enforcement, staff described a recently adopted ticket-to-lien process intended to reduce appeals: since the start of the fiscal year staff issued 504 tickets totaling $121,699 and responded to more than 1,200 blight complaints, with routine case triage and weekly meetings to prioritize the most severe cases.

Jack Benjamin, director of Planning and Development, said his office’s requested increase is modest (about 2%), largely contractual, and that advertising costs for public notices have risen after switching publication to the Hartford Current. Recreation and Community Services Director Dupra said contractual increases and state minimum-wage-driven rises in part-time pay are the main pressures for that department; she told the committee the department’s new registration software processed about $90,000 in payments in its first two weeks. John Delgado, director of Support Services, outlined utility and facilities pressures, noting some mitigation from previously locked-in energy contracts, continued increases in supplier and fee costs, investments in city fiber connections and NextGen 911 capabilities.

The committee repeatedly emphasized that many increases are contractual or driven by external factors (union settlements, state minimum wage changes, grant expirations). Members asked departmental leaders for follow-up details on vacancy counts, projected permit revenue, overtime contingency plans, and the source and duration of grant funding. Several members said they want further review during the council process.

The committee recessed briefly during the meeting and adjourned for the evening after the three referral votes; the chair gave the time of adjournment as 7:48 p.m.

Actions and next steps: Each of the three resolutions will move to the full City Council for further consideration. Committee members asked staff to provide additional follow-up information on staffing levels, program revenues and grant timelines ahead of council review.