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Berlin council weighs one‑time retention checks from FY26 surplus for public safety staff
Summary
Councilors discussed moving roughly $100,000 of an approximately $120,000 FY26 surplus to fund one‑time retention checks for public safety employees to carry staffing through FY27; council emphasized this is a temporary measure and that long‑term pay adjustments will require further budget work.
Town officials told the Berlin Town Council that the FY26 general fund shows about $120,000 in surplus and proposed using $100,000 of that to fund one‑time retention checks aimed at keeping public‑safety staff through the next budget year.
“A sitting at approximately $120,000 in surplus,” the police chief reported, and said the town is “looking for moving a $100,000 to that, for the purpose of retention, retention checks” to offer lump‑sum incentives while the town develops longer‑term compensation adjustment plans.
Councilors noted this is intended as a short‑term measure: Chair said the one‑time checks “get us through FY27” and do not represent a permanent salary increase. The police chief and councilors also discussed protections in the retention agreement, with at least one councilor asking whether officers who accept the money must sign on for an additional year.
During the discussion, an attendee noted the town had a $118,000 surplus figure on hand; councilors said they prefer to keep a cushion in the fund while still funding retention. The town said it had budgeted $50,000 last fiscal year for outside legal work and has been analyzing where contracted time is spent.
Next steps: Staff will bring contract and implementation language back to council (including proposed retention agreement details and timeline) and review FY27 budget implications before any permanent salary changes are proposed.
