Brooklyn Board of Finance sets mill rate at 23.31, approves revenue suspense list and reviews finances

The Town of Brooklyn Board of Finance voted Wednesday, May 20, 2026, to set the municipal mill rate at 23.31 and approved the Revenue Collector Suspense List during a meeting at the Clifford B. Green Memorial Building and by Google Meet.

The motion to set the mill rate was made by Bob Smanik and seconded by Dave Lee; the motion passed. The board also moved to approve minutes for May 6, 2026, and to approve the Revenue Collector Suspense List without recorded roll-call tallies in the minutes.

Shelley Cates, a staff member who participated in the meeting, told members that the town’s financial reports “seem to be on point, and she does not anticipate any surprises,” language the board cited in support of approving the published reports. Chairperson Sandy Brodeur noted the packet included a list of tentative projects for 2025–26 and said the items marked in red had already been completed; she suggested members review the list and set priorities at a future meeting.

The board received a status update on the town audit. Cates said she had received a draft of the audit and expected it to be available to the board after her review by the following week. The meeting packet included detailed general ledger revenue and expenditure reports through April 30, 2026, which list the School Budget Appropriation at $23,801,845 and show overall budget figures for the fiscal year.

During liaison reports, Dave Lee summarized matters before the Board of Fire Commissioners — including planned discussion of data elements, a potential merger and grant opportunities — and Bob Smanik reported on preliminary work related to the WPCA, including a possible town management-support proposal and references to USDA loan/grant considerations and a contract with Killingly for Route 6 corridor planning.

Heather Allen raised a point attributed to A. Tanner’s comment at the Town vote that Resource Recovery might yield about $27,000 in savings; Cates offered clarification during the discussion. In public comment Lou Brodeur said printed copies of the budgets had not been available at the Town Vote, recalled Jeff Otto’s prior request that the town consider taking over the cemetery, and asked the town to find a place to display the Wauregan VFW monument.

The meeting ended after a motion by Dave Lee, seconded by Cindy Dehner; the board adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Board staff recorded that a decision from the Housing Authority RFP process must be reached by June 1, 2026, per liaison notes included in the minutes.