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Southington council debates treatment of roughly $833,000 state aid and who sets the mill rate
Summary
Councilors and the town manager debated how an $833,000 state education payment — not included in the town budget when the council voted — should be treated and whether the Board of Finance or the council has discretion over mill‑rate calculations. Town Manager Alex Riccardone said the amount was never budgeted and outlined options for transferring it to the Board of Education.
Southington councilors spent an extended portion of Monday's special meeting disputing how a roughly $833,000 state education payment should be handled and whether that sum affected the mill‑rate calculation used when the Board of Finance set taxes.
Town Manager Alex Riccardone told the council "the 834 was never budgeted for" and advised that the money had not been included in the budgets the council voted on. He described three ways the funding could reach the Board of Education in the future: a transfer after the fact from the general fund, a Board of Finance appropriation, or an adjustment tied to the mill rate — but he said the Board of Finance had not yet taken such action.
"The 834 was never budgeted for. It was never given to the Board of Ed," Riccardone said, explaining the council did not put the one‑time amount into the budget so it would not artificially raise next year’s base. Several councilors, including one who said the board had effectively cut the Board of Education budget by $833,000 expecting the state funds to arrive later, pushed back that the Board of Finance should explain how the shortfall will be handled.
Councilors debated whether omitting the one‑time money from the budget was deliberate prudence or an accidental shortfall that the Board of Finance must now remedy. Councilor comments noted that the Board of Finance has statutory responsibility for setting the mill rate and that its recent vote rejected raising the mill rate for a cushion.
The town manager and a number of councilors described the issue as a matter for the Board of Finance to resolve in coming hearings; several said they expect further discussion at that board's meetings and another opportunity to revisit the issue at the council level.
No final action reallocating funds was taken by the council at the special meeting. Councilors said they expect continued review and possible appropriations as the Board of Finance and town administration clarify whether to use undesignated fund balance, a one‑time appropriation, or a mill‑rate adjustment.
Next procedural steps noted in the meeting: Board of Finance review of options and possible appropriation, and further information from the finance director to the council.
