“This Year Is Going to Be Different”: Vanderslice Proposes 1.89% Increase for 2023 Selectmen’s Budget

At the Feb. 7 Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting, First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice gave her fellow board members a first look at how the FY2023 BOS budget is shaping up. (Note: The Board of Education budget is proceeding on a separate track.)

In her Jan. 31 update to residents, Vanderslice had hinted that the upcoming budget numbers would show an increase, and they did. Vanderslice is making a budget request for $34,119,884 — a 1.89% increase (or $634,398) over the budget approved for FY2022.

In the budget overview she presented to the selectmen, Vanderslice framed the 2023 budget request in the context of the six preceding years, when the BOS consistently managed to achieve very low annual budget increases (averaging just 0.54% annually). She also highlighted the fact that three potential new hires are driving much of the proposed increase — and identified several potential risks that could negatively impact the numbers.

Budget Goals

Vanderslice began her presentation with a statement of the goals underlying the budget request:

• To provide the high quality of services Wilton residents and businesses expect, at the lowest possible cost
• To increase the Town’s resiliency
• To invest in infrastructure
• To focus on cost savings opportunities, increased use of technology and appropriate staffing levels

Six Years of “Outstanding Performance”

“It’s important to put this budget in context,” Vanderslice said.

That meant viewing the requested 1.89% budget increase on a longer time horizon than just the previous year.

She noted that since 2016, the BOS budget has had low budget increases each year, despite pressures from higher prices, wage increases for Town employees, state mandates and resident population growth.

“And yet, during that time period, the average annual increase in the Board of Selectmen budget was only 0.54%,” Vanderslice said.  “I think that is outstanding performance.”

Vanderslice added that, even with a 1.89% increase, the new seven-year average annual increase would be only 0.74%.

Vanderslice went into some detail, especially for the benefit of new residents, to explain how the BOS has been able to maintain such low budget increases.

She cited cost efficiencies achieved through staffing reductions; consolidation of positions within the Town government; shared employees across the school district and the Town; increased use of technology; renewable energy programs; favorable collective bargaining negotiations; and medical plan changes, among other cost-saving measures.

Shift from Cutting to Adding Staff

“This year is going to be different,” Vanderslice said. “Instead of eliminating staffing positions, we’re looking to increase them.”

The BOS has identified three new (or reinstated) positions to address important Town needs:

• A full‐time engineer in the Public Works Department to “facilitate and support [the] historic level of transportation grants awarded [or] available”

“We have just recently received over $20 million in new grants for bridges,” Vanderslice said. “That’s a lot of bridge work that needs to get done over the next several years. We have money that will be coming in from ARPA [American Rescue Plan Act], and the Infrastructure Investment [and] Jobs Act [money] we’ll be applying for… and a significant amount of DPW transportation capital projects that will be done over the next several years.”

Preempting a question of whether a permanent position is warranted, Vanderslice said, “This isn’t a two year thing where somebody would say, why don’t you get a consultant for two years? This is going to go on for years. We don’t want to miss opportunities to apply for a grant because we don’t have the capacity to manage the grant or the work associated with it.”

The new position is also intended to support the flood mitigation plan being developed for the Wilton High School stadium complex following the historic flooding last September, as well as drainage upgrades on sports fields.

• A full‐time Parks and Grounds crew member to “properly maintain infrastructure” and specifically “meet [the] needs and resident demand for improved fields”

This would reinstate a position eliminated several years ago due to the 2008 recession.

“We’re hearing from residents,” Vanderslice said. “They want higher quality [and] more work on the fields. If we’re going to invest money in drainage and irrigation, we should have the employees to support.”

• A full‐time Town Administrator “to facilitate cost savings, help to secure new grants and ensure professional continuity of government”

The BOS moved discussions about a Town Administrator to the front burner in late 2021, and has since developed a job description in preparation for a search.

The rationale for the new position is driven by what Vanderslice has described as the increasing demands on the first selectperson’s time since she came into office, and a desire for professional management of day-to-day functions.

It is unclear what the timetable is for the position. At the previous BOS meeting on Jan. 18, the selectmen showed consensus on the need for the position, a working job description and salary ranges, but agreed to further discuss the position at a later date.

Combined, the three positions would add $458,000 to the budget — that accounts for 1.37% out of the 1.89% total budget increase. (Note: $458,000 includes salaries and benefits.)

While three new positions will add cost to the BOS budget, Vanderslice emphasized she isn’t giving up on cost-cutting opportunities.

“We’ve talked a lot about that [Town Administrator] position… but it also shouldn’t be lost that this person is also expected to come in here and facilitate cost savings,” Vanderslice said. “[The Town Administrator] is going to have a lot of relevant experience and can bring new ideas [and] is also expected to be able to assist in securing grants.”

Potential Risks

While best estimates have been made for unknown variables (such as insurance cost increases), Vanderslice outlined a number of risks that could push the budget further:

• Medical costs: The state has not yet provided rate increases for the Town’s medical plan
• Georgetown Fire District charges: Wilton’s obligation will be determined at the district’s annual meeting in March
• General insurance costs: FY2023 renewal cost increases are not yet available
• Litigation
• A new or extended pandemic
• Major weather event or natural disaster
• Nationwide and statewide police officer shortage
• Employee burn-out/turnover
• State legislative initiatives, such as proposals pertaining to motor vehicle taxes (which currently contribute 5% of Wilton’s property tax revenue) or teacher pension funding (requiring communities that pay higher teacher salaries to contribute toward their higher pension costs)

Selectmen Reactions?

Unfortunately, meeting time constraints prevented the selectmen from sharing their reactions to the bottom-line budget increase at the end of Vanderslice’s presentation.

One point that surfaced earlier in the discussion was made by Selectman Ross Tartell, who commented about not wanting to lose strategic perspective in a discussion about specific costs.

“[The budget proposal] positions us for the future,” Tartell said. “There’s a visionary theme that goes through here. … You talk about increasing the resilience of the Town. And that really begins to position us more for the future.”

BOS Budget Next Steps

• Wednesday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m.: BOS special meeting for Police, Fire and Public Works budget discussions
• Tuesday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m.: BOS special meeting for budget discussions for Parks & Recreation, Land Use, Social Services, Administrative departments
• Tuesday, Feb. 22: BOS vote to approve final budget proposal
• March 24: Public hearing on the BOS budget proposal
• Tuesday, May 3, 7 p.m.: Annual Town Meeting at Clune Auditorium

Unsure how the budget process works?  Read our primer and look our continuing coverage of the FY2023 budget process.

[Editor’s Note: This story was updated to clarify the cost shown in Vanderslice’s presentation for the three new positions ($458,000) includes salaries and benefits.]