Residents praise roughly $9 million in state aid and press Norwich leaders on school spending and volunteer fire funding

Residents at a second budget public hearing in Norwich praised a recent state funding award and pressed city leaders for clarity about how the money will be used, including whether it will restore pension benefits, reduce local taxes or be restricted to new school spending.

Several speakers addressed the funding during the public-comment portion. "The state of Connecticut is gonna turn over some $9,000,000, 5.9 to the schools, and some 4,000,000 to the city," said Larry Rice of 41 Willow Road, who urged officials to use the windfall to "put the pension back the way it was" and to consider lowering motor-vehicle taxes and the mill rate. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said in praise of local leaders who he credited for winning the funds.

Other residents urged caution about strings attached to portions of the award. "The $3,100,000 that the state is providing for education... comes with a caveat that it must be for new spending," said Thomas Bonanno of Central Avenue, who warned that folding one-time funds into the operating budget could create future fiscal problems and suggested city leaders consider declining money that imposes such conditions.

Joanne Philbrick criticized the opportunity for public input and raised an operational concern about the city's fire services. Reading from the city manager's report, Philbrick quoted a passage that said staff would "work with the leaders of the volunteer fire companies to find a path forward," but added that the report also noted, "should we be unable to come to a solution, the city may need to add funding to staff career firefighters in certain areas and defund 1 or more volunteer fire companies." Philbrick said residents deserve fuller opportunity to weigh in on those potential changes.

Budget critics also questioned local spending priorities. A resident who identified only as Rocky said there were "more police than citizens" in the room and asked about the costs associated with police presence, an $800,000 building purchase and lost tax revenue from properties no longer paying local taxes.

Nick Rankin of the Norwich Police Department said he was attending on his own time because he is "interested in the city process" and wants to see the best outcome for Norwich.

The hearing consisted solely of public comment and procedural remarks; there were no formal votes or motions recorded during the session. The moderator closed the second budget hearing after the allotted public-comment period. The transcript does not record any council amendments, a vote or a final budget decision; next procedural steps were not specified during the remarks captured here.