East Hampton Board Trims Budget

The East Hampton Board of Finance unanimously approved a $264,500 reduction to the proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 budget.

The cuts made actually amount to $267,500, but $3,000 is being reallocated to the Middle Haddam Public Library.

The idea of trimming $175,000 from the board of education budget met with little objection among board members. At the center of the debate as they struggled to lower the mill rate increase from 0.96 to somewhere between 0.50 and 0.75 was the hiring of a town engineer.

Splitting the difference and holding off on the hiring for six months was proposed and quickly gained favor.

Not all, however, were initially on board.

“I just really feel the rational that [Public Works Director] Keith [Hayden] has put together has been extremely sound and that there is an immediate need for this,” board member Mary Ann Dostaler said.

Several board members, however, felt that most of the engineering need for the remainder of this calendar year has been done and the hiring can wait, allowing the eventual new town manager to make it.

“I think this is a good compromise, I really do,” chairman Matt Walton said. “I think that everyone is getting what they want.”

Holding off on the hire until January saved $54,500. Another $38,000 was trimmed from the capital budget.

As a result of the cuts, the proposed mill rate is now 26.40, an increase of 0.72, or 2.8 percent.

The budget will now go to the town council.