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Middletown council hears requests to cover $350,000 in fire overtime and to set police contract appropriation
Summary
At the Feb. 2 workshop, the fire chief requested a $350,000 appropriation from the Central Tax District fund balance to cover overtime driven by vacancies, deployments and multiple long medical leaves; staff also explained a police contract appropriation listed on the agenda and said the calculated figure was "4.89," which the council may reduce (units not specified in the transcript).
Council members reviewed two budget items during the Feb. 2 Questions Directors workshop: a $350,000 appropriation request for the fire department to cover overtime, and an agenda item to appropriate funds for the police contract.
The Fire Chief said the $350,000 request reflects year‑to‑date overtime driven by staffing shortfalls, two military deployments, seven 12‑week family‑medical leaves and Connecticut paid sick‑leave requirements. "I've had 7 12 week FMLAs, and then you add Connecticut paid sick sick leave into that, it's it's been, it's been out of control," the chief said, describing an unusually high overtime burden and saying the requested amount would come from the department’s fund balance.
On the police contract, Director Burlacher told the council the contract cost was divided into four parts for the agenda and that the final calculated figure came out to "4.89." "You can always reduce an appropriation, but you can never increase it," the director said, inviting the council to lower the item if it chose; the transcript does not specify units for the 4.89 figure.
Council discussion did not produce a final vote on either appropriation item at the workshop; staff said the fire appropriation would come from the Central Tax District reserve fund and that budget adjustments can be handled through the usual appropriation process.
