Milford Select Board OKs fiscal 2024 budget proposals for police, fire — and itself
MILFORD — The Select Board this week approved budget increases for the Fire and Police departments and for itself, all of which will be part of a proposed fiscal 2024 budget at Town Meeting later this spring.
The Fire Department asked for a total of about $5.3 million for fiscal 2024, which begins July 1, according to the packet for Monday's meeting. That's about a 4% increase from the current year's budget. The department asked for about a 2% increase in the salary and wages budget, with Fire Chief Mark Nelson also asking for an increase in overtime funds.
"In looking at averages, this year, currently we're running about $13,000 a week in overtime," Nelson said during Monday's meeting. "The money that was appropriated, generally, it allows for about $9,700 a week."
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The Fire Department is also requesting a bump in its general expense fund, currently $268,295, to a proposed $340,425. Most of this fund's expenditures are for repair and maintenance, as well as software upgrades.
"We went to a more user-friendly software for the Fire Department that allows us to do pre-planning, daily rosters (and) reporting," Nelson said.
The Police Department asked for a $693,497 increase in salaries and wages, with a more than $60,000 increase in training for officers. In total, the police budget is proposed to increase by $768,772. Other increases in general expenses include an additional $32,000 in the vehicle budget and $32,300 more for recurring equipment.
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Deputy Police Chiefs Robert Tusino and John Sanchioni presented the department's budget to the Select Board.
"When you take the salary and wages out of it, it's under 2%," Tusino said, in reference to the proposed increase.
The Select Board also proposed increases to its own budget, including $165,000 more for salaries and wages. This is due to the addition of two new positions, an assistant town administrator and an economic development director. The proposed budget also adds $7,500 for record storage and retention.
The three budgets were unanimously approved by the board. Members also signed off on the Town Meeting warrant, which was unanimously approved.
Town Meeting takes place at 7 p.m. on May 22 in the Upper Hall at Milford Town Hall.
This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Milford Select Board approves police, fire budgets for fiscal 2024
