BCTV
First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove has a new plan for budget season — - he has asked town department heads to prepare three budget scenarios which would reflect their wishes, a 0 percent increase, and a 2 percent reduction.
Cosgrove discussed the plan during a cable TV “Branford Eagle” program interview with host Marcia Chambers. The complete interview will be shown on BCTV, the town’s public access cable Channel 18, beginning tonight (Friday) at 7 p.m.
In response to a question about the number of budgets being prepared by each department, Cosgrove said he met with department heads and asked for three separate proposals.
“I asked them to prepare their budget and what they feel their needs are for the next fiscal year, but I also wanted two alternate scenarios. I wanted them to come in and be able to present to me a flat budget with 0 percent growth of the budget for this current year, and prepare a budget with a 2 percent reduction,” he explained.
He said departments vary in size and services, and each would be affected differently by any arbitrary request to hold the line on increases. He said he is looking for information that could help smooth the lengthy budget process.
“I wanted to see those three scenarios, in particular the 0 and 2 percent reduction to show how that would impact the department and the services to the town,” Cosgrove said.
Chambers commented that salaries for a number of departments, such as police and firefighters, are already set by union contract. She asked if there could be an impact on services if budgets are cut. Cosgrove said there are other ways to reduce expenses.
“I’m not looking to micromanage any one department, but I want the department heads to be able to articulate how their department would be impacted,” he said.
The Board of Finance (BOF) approved a total 2013 – 14 budget for the town and school district last May that totaled $99,317 million. Of that amount, the town budget was $47.5 million; and the school district budget was $51.7 million. Click here to read that story.
Last year, then First Selectman Anthony “Unk” DaRos asked the town’s department heads to present budgets that called for no more than a 2 percent increase. Click here to read more on those issues.
Cosgrove said he met with the school superintendent and the Board of Education (BOE) since he took office in November, but he did not ask them to prepare three budget proposals.
Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez’s budget presentation, which was scheduled Jan. 29, has been rescheduled to Feb. 4, followed by workshops during which the BOE will discuss and possibly revise the budget.
Click here to read about the superintendent’s budget presentation last year, which called for a 2.95 percent increase.
DEVELOPMENT
Chambers also asked the first selectman about the prospect of a Costco warehouse store coming to Branford. Click here to read a recent story about Costco.
During his campaign, Cosgrove spoke in favor of bringing Costco to the Exit 56 area off Interstate 95. He said he has not had any discussions with Costco since he took office. He said he also wants to make it clear that neither he nor his family has developable property in the area that Costco is reportedly considering.
He said his overall goal is to increase the commercial tax base in town. “I would welcome development. I think it’s needed … That area is a huge tax-revenue source for the town,” Cosgrove said in regard to Exit 56.
When asked about Exit 53, site of the newly constructed Amtrak bridge area (or “the Pretzel,” as it known in Branford), Cosgrove said that is another area for potential development. This is the area former First Selectman DaRos envisioned for big-box stores, which could be located along the corridor leading to Exit 53 off I‑95.
“I would like to see that [Exit] 53 connector reconfigured in some fashion to possibly include a northbound entrance ramp,” Cosgrove said, adding that even though the Amtrak bridge project has been completed, there are still traffic problems in that area. Overall, he said, he is open to ideas from companies and businesses who want to locate in this area.
BUILDING PROJECTS
Another topic of discussion was Cosgrove’s plans for a public works facility, school buildings and a new senior center. All three projects have been discussed at length for several years.
Cosgrove said he is working on finding a site for public works. The department has been housed in a rental facility for several years while town leaders searched for a possible construction site.
“The current facility is inadequate space,” he said in regard to the rental facility. Cosgrove said he does not favor any long-term rental of the site on Route 139. “The modifications that would need to be made to that building in order for them to continue to operate out of there, I just think it becomes cost-prohibitive.”
Cosgrove recently asked the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) to create an ordinance establishing a Standing Building Commission which would look at all building proposals. The RTM’s Rules and Ordinances Committee was slated to discuss the issue this week, but the meeting was canceled due to snowy weather conditions. The meeting has been re-scheduled for Jan. 28.
Cosgrove said it is necessary to take a careful look at all town-owned buildings. “We need to be looking at our footprint of existing buildings that we have and how are we utilizing them. Are we utilizing their full potential, or should we re-purpose the facilities? Or, in some cases, maybe it’s not in the town’s interest to continue to own and maintain these facilities,” he said.
Cosgrove said Walsh Intermediate School and the Canoe Brook Senior Center are high on his list of items that need to be addressed.
Cosgrove said the cost of renovating Walsh that was approved by the Board of Education (BOE) last year was much too high. The BOE voted unanimously to recommend a combined total of $142 million in renovations to both Walsh and the former Branford Elementary School.
Cosgrove said the BOE and the town need to take another look at the actual renovation needs. “What they were proposing was just an outrageous amount of money with very little reimbursement by the state,” he said in regard to Walsh. “I think what we really need to do is have a feasibility study done on all our schools before we make any decision on whether it’s a renovation or a new school.”
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