Beacon Falls budget vote tonight

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BEACON FALLS — A public meeting to vote on the proposed budget will take place at 7 p.m. tonight at Beacon Hose Company No. 1.

The proposed budget is just over $6 million, which reflects an increase of approximately $165,000, or 2.8 percent, over the town’s current $5.86 million budget.

The proposed budget would put the mill rate at 30.8 mills, according to town documents. However, this did not take into consideration any increase in the Region 16 Board of Education budget.

The budget includes $28,000 that would be used towards paying interest on a $1.1 million, 10-year note town officials are planning to pay for big-ticket items. A vote on the loan has not been scheduled but is expected to be held following the budget vote.

The note would cover $6,000 for town clerk seats; $21,456 for Lifepak Defibrillators for the fire department; $130,000 for refurbishing of the ambulance; $10,000 for a new hood for the kitchen stove at the fire house; $85,000 for a town-wide radio system; $39,560 for new financial software; $12,224 for computer equipment for the town hall; $74,700 for the replacement a public works trucks; $40,000 for a new police vehicle; $300,000 for a waste water treatment study; $30,000 for a waste water treatment flow meter at Pine Bridge Pump Station; $13,800 to clean manholes on West Road and Lopus Road; $87,000 for a loader for public works; $45,000 to pay for the streetscape project and $125,000 to pay for repairs to Blackberry Hill Road.

If all the items that would be covered by the loan were put into the budget, the budget would go up 18 percent officials have said.

Since the note is such a large amount, the town will have to convene for a public meeting to vote on whether to accept the note. If the note is not passed, the town is still under contract to pay the $45,000 for the streetscape project and $125,000 for the repairs on Blackberry Hill Road.