NEW FAIRFIELD -- A more than $970,000 budget surplus from the 2008-09 fiscal year would be a good way to pay for a townwide emergency radio communications system, the Board of Selectman agreed Thursday.
"It only makes sense to do it with the money we have available now," First Selectman John Hodge said, as Selectman Thomas Corbett and Ron Oliveira joined him in recommending the project to the finance board. Voters would still have the ultimate say on whether the system will be built.
Residents had previously rejected a $2.1 million bond issue for the communications system, but as a result of the recent economic slump, companies looking to keep their crews working, as well as a decline in material costs, have dropped the price of the long-needed emergency communications system into a more affordable range, Fire Chief Ed McCue said.
Combined with the surplus from the just completed fiscal year, funds already budgeted for radio improvements, and if necessary, between $80,000 and $120,000 from the general fund balance, the town now has enough money on hand to build the system without seeking another bond issue or asking taxpayers for additional money, Hodge said.
Another plus, he said, is that the system being proposed would better serve the town's emergency service personnel, providing 95 per cent coverage of the town at less than half the cost of the one rejected earlier.
The $970,000 surplus, which Finance Director Jay Waterman called a conservative estimate" that could increase even further, resulted from "hard work and dedication" of town employees in keeping costs down during the recently completed fiscal year, Hodge said in his "State of the Town" address earlier in the evening.
Tax collection rates are up, collection of back taxes has also increased, he said.
"Our financial condition is robust, and quite frankly, flies in the face of what is occurring across the state and across the country," he said.
Waterman said much of the surplus resulted from higher-than-anticipated state revenues for special education reimbursement and from the resolution of a legal case involving a construction project at the police station,
The town also collected more money than was expected from police officers who worked private duty projects, such as road constructions and for permits issued by the building department.
But Waterman said that what is now a rosy picture could change in the new fiscal year. "Maybe it didn't catch up with us yet,," he said, referring to the current economic woes. But in any case, selectman agreed that now is the time to move ahead with the communications system, which has long been needed.
"By the time we get to the Board of Finance, we'll have firm numbers in hand," Corbett noted. "We won't be winging it."
Contact John Pirro
or at (203) 731-3342.۩
NEW FAIRFIELD -- A more than $970,000 budget surplus from the 2008-09 fiscal year would be a good way to pay for a townwide emergency radio communications system, the Board of Selectman agreed Thursday. "It only makes sense to do it with the money we have available now," First Selectman John Hodge said, as Selectman Thomas Corbett and Ron Oliveira joined him in recommending the project to the finance board. more »
Watch.....
I sure hope the BOF reminds Bubba that the taxpayers said a resounding NO to this at referendum last year and opts to give the money back to the taxpayers in some form.
BOF Members: Below are results of the referendum last December. Please don't let Hodge kick dirt in your face again.
New Fairfield voters reject borrowing $2M
Updated: 12/13/2008 09:53:56 PM EST

NEW FAIRFIELD -- Voters rejected a proposal to borrow $2 million to improve thecommunication system used by the town's emergency services.
There were 684 no votes and 450 yes votes, according to unofficial numbers from First Selectman John Hodge.
The town wanted to borrow the money to build two radio towers and to upgrade related equipment.
Hodge said the upgrade was needed because emergency personnel -- police, fire and emergency medical technicians -- have a hard time communicating through their radios due to the many dead spots in New Fairfield.
Hodge attributed the rejection to misinformation spread about the issue.
"I think at the end of the day, people just didn't know what to do with this one so they went with what is safest, which is to vote no," Hodge said.
Lucy DiRocco, a member of the town's board of finance, opposed the borrowing.
"The economy is tough and people made their decision based on that fact," DiRocco said. "I think they were hoping that the Selectmen would put forward a plan that wasn't so costly."
Contact Eugene Driscoll at edriscoll@newstimes.com
or at (203) 731-3332.