Board approves package of transfers including $200,000 for police storm, overtime and payout costs

The Waterford Board of Selectmen on April 7 approved a series of fiscal‑year‑2026 budget transfers to cover unexpected personnel and operating costs across town departments, with the largest single shift — a $200,000 transfer for the police department — aimed at covering chief salary negotiation payouts, accrued time settlements and overtime tied to storms and community events.

The $200,000 request, brought forward by Chief David Ferland, cited a combination of post‑budget salary adjustments and higher overtime outlays following a series of winter storms. Ferland said the blizzard alone cost the department “somewhere around the $4,500 range just the police department for personnel alone,” and that multiple storms and extended event staffing drove further overtime costs.

Board members pressed for clarity on how overtime and event costs are recorded and offset. Ferland described a mix of direct town charges and reciprocal mutual‑aid arrangements with neighboring towns, and explained that revenue from events billed to outside organizers is received by the town and credited back to the police budget but is not always visible as a dedicated revenue line.

Smaller transfers approved the same night included: - $6,500 for Emergency Management telephone costs after director Steven Sinagra said monthly bills run “somewhere around $1,900 and something” and that phone rates have been rising about 2–3% a year; - $1,100 to replace tires on two senior vans and a $1,000 out‑of‑series transfer to cover DMV inspections and minor repairs for the Senior Services vans, with Human Services Administrator Danny Gorman noting many senior programs are now self‑funded by participant fees; and - an additional $106,632 appropriation to cover an employee payout in the Police Department (former employee Mark Palustra sold accrued time), forwarded to the Board of Finance as required.

Police Chief David Furlong also described a recent change in vendor and data‑plan approaches intended to stabilize costs on mobile data terminals, but noted that carriers have begun billing municipalities for data produced in response to judicial search warrants — “usually about $50 to $75” per request, he said — an expense that has increased the phone/data line.

Fire Services Director Christopher Haley secured several transfers to bring staffing forward for Quaker Hill and to cover storm costs and onboarding expenses; Haley told the board that volunteer response has declined and that some stipend lines have shrunk as a result. The board approved multiple fire transfers that supported earlier Monday–Friday staffing at Quaker Hill and additional firefighter coverage.

All motions were approved by voice vote; the transcript records the board saying “aye” or “I” for each item but does not provide roll‑call tallies in the minutes. Several presenters said the requests were being funded by year‑end balances and repurposed line items rather than new tax revenue, and some departments noted they will forward items to the Board of Finance where required.

The board did not set any new policy in the meeting; members asked for additional documentation where line reductions were used to fund transfers and sought clarity on how event and mutual‑aid revenues are tracked in departmental budgets. The Board of Selectmen adjourned after completing the agenda.