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North Haven reviews budget as debt-service spike from public-safety building drives bigger levy
Summary
At a March 5 meeting the North Haven Select Board reviewed a draft FY2025 budget that includes a large rise in debt-service — largely tied to the public-safety building payment — discussed personnel and utility-rate pressures, and weighed reserves and grant options to soften taxpayer impact.
The North Haven Select Board met March 5 to review the town's draft fiscal 2025 budget and acknowledged a sharp rise in debt-service driven by payments tied to the new public-safety building.
Chair opened the review, thanked the budget committee and town staff for their work, and walked attendees through prior-year appropriations and current spending levels. Chair said the town's debt-service had jumped from about $212,600 last year to roughly $511,631 this year, a change he attributed mainly to the public-safety building payment: "the biggest increase is the public safety building," he said, noting the board trimmed the project and tapped reserves where possible.
The board discussed how that jump affects the overall tax rate and which budget lines could be adjusted. Jeremiah of the budget committee explained the recommended salary increases were in the 3.2%–3.5% range after comparing peer towns: "we looked at other locations and some of them were as high as 4% most of them were around three and a half," he said, and urged establishing a more consistent method for future increases.
Officials noted they had reduced the project scope to lower costs but warned the debt-service change will raise pressure on reserves and likely affect next year's tax bills. Chair said the board had examined reserve accounts and other budget areas to absorb as much of the increase as possible.
The board also reviewed utility and enterprise funds. Select members said sewer expenditures currently exceed revenue and that a rate study is underway; staff described options including lowering the minimum water allowance to generate modest additional revenue (estimated at about $9,000 without changing rates) and seeking grant funding for plant upgrades. Chair noted grantmakers are wary of funding major capital in areas with sea-level rise risk and that estimates for a full replacement plant could range substantially depending on scope.
The meeting closed with the board directing continued work on capital plans, the rate study and grant applications and with no formal vote tied to the budget itself at this session.
