BOS Approves 4.41% FY’26 Budget Increase, But Healy Dissents

In a split vote of 4-to-1, the Board of Selectmen approved a proposed $37,402,033 FY 2026 operating budget on Monday, Mar. 3, which represents a 4.41% increase over the current year’s budget.

Following another confusing two-hour special meeting, in which documents and numbers were in conflict down to the last minute, Selectwoman Kim Healy was the sole holdout opposing a budget that exceeded the 3% budget-guidance increase indicated by the Board of Finance.

Healy continued to question the inclusion of two new firefighter positions, estimated to cost $216,000, but which she said could require additional costs rising above $30,000.

“I’m a ‘No,'” Healy said. “I’m sorry. Can’t do it.”

Trying to get a final vote on the budget before 7 p.m., when the BOS regular meeting was scheduled to begin, First Selectman Toni Boucher hurried the group along.

“I think everyone contributed a great deal to this process,” she said after the vote. “It was long, it was difficult, but we finally achieved our goal.”

The BOS held four separate votes, first approving the general fund operating budget of $36,569,700 in a 4-to-1 vote, then approving the $832,333 capital operating budget in a unanimous vote.

The vote combining the two was also passed 4-1.

The BOS also unanimously approved the projected revenue of $6,953,823, which represents a 17.84% increase over the last year.

While Healy voted in favor of the capital operating budget of $832,333, which represents a 33.11% decrease from last year, she cautioned that the number will result in a substantial 227% increase next year.

“I am very concerned about next year … I am going to support this amount, but I think it is something that we should be very concerned about,” she said.

Boucher restated that it was hard to get the budget to its 4.41% increase because they were already starting in a hole, calling it “quite a feat” that they are presenting the number they have.

“We were already at 4.4[% increase] with the lack of funding and the increase in costs that were mandated by the state health plan,” she said.

“We were able to shoehorn in the increase to the library at 3%,” Boucher said. “We were also able to keep in the two fire positions.”

She noted the good working relationship that she has with both the Board of Finance and Board of Education, sharing that she and Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker have a monthly lunch meeting with BOF Chair Matt Raimondi, BOE Chair Ruth DeLuca and Wilton Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Smith.

In arriving at its final number, the BOS was able to root out some funds at the last minute that were being held in reserve in several small accounts that they plan to deplete, including some contingent funds for the police department’s central dispatch work.

Police Chief Tom Conlan was called on during the meeting to clarify whether or not the funds were needed.

“My understanding was that I spent all the money that was available on the project … I don’t think there’s anything left,” he said, confirming that the work was completed.

Despite yet another attempt by the BOS and town employees to solidify a number, just before the vote, a discrepancy was found between the board’s tally and that of Wilton CFO Dawn Norton.

As has happened on several occasions during its budget work over the past few weeks, officials realized midstream that they were working from different iterations of documents.

While Norton worked for several minutes to find the error, Healy took the opportunity to share about research she had done into the question of whether the fire department needed additional staffing.

Healy cited an Oct. 9, 2024 meeting of the Fire Commission, suggesting to board members that they watch a recording of the meeting and not bother reading the minutes, indicating that the minutes omitted information.

In particular, she said that Fire Chief Jim Blanchfield considers eight new firefighters to be “a starting point, and not an end point,” with a heavy duty firetruck also under examination for purchase.

Healy pointed out that at least one fire commissioner asked for the same data on calls and incident response that she had wanted to see before considering whether the request for two new firefighters should be added to the budget this year.

“That’s what I was looking for and they had asked for that as well, and we did not get that information,” she said.

Last week the other four BOS members voted to add the two firefighters into the budget proposal, despite Healy’s objections.

Healy explained that she also had come to understand that part of the overtime costs that were budgeted for the fire department was to cover all the shifts, but it was unclear at this time exactly what the needs were for overtime coverage, and what duties they entailed.

Healy said, based on the numbers, it was possible that the town could be in need of more paramedics rather than firefighters.

“I think there was a comment made that data doesn’t matter,” she said. “I wholeheartedly disagree with that.”

“I would recommend that we split up and attend all commission meetings because I find they’re very informative,” she said.

The BOS is scheduled to formally present its budget to the Board of Finance in a joint meeting on Wednesday, Mar. 5, at 7 p.m.