Fire department presents budget request

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NAUGATUCK — The fire department is requesting a small increase for its 2019-20 budget.

The department’s request, which was presented to the Board of Finance earlier this month, is roughly $4.46 million, an increase of $67,934, or 1.54 percent, over this fiscal year’s budget.

The largest increase is in payroll, which is going up by $262,444, or 9.55 percent, to $3 million.

Fire Chief Ellen Murray said the increase is due to contractual salary increases and the fact that all the positions at the department will be filled. There is one open position this fiscal year.

The increase was partially offset by some decreases.

The overtime budget decreased by $101,169, or 9.16 percent, to $1 million due to the department being fully staffed next fiscal year, Murray said.

Retirement costs are expected to decrease by $85,018, or 48 percent, to $92,078 because the department isn’t expecting as many retirements in the coming fiscal year, Murray said.

Finance Board Chairman Dan Sheridan said the board moved a request of about $13,000 for respiratory backpacks from the department’s budget to the capital budget. That was the only change, he said.

The finance board will continue hearing department requests before bringing the full budget proposal to a public hearing in May.