Norwich – The Republican-controlled City Council adopted a preliminary $123.3 million budget Monday accepting the spending cuts outlined by City Manager John Salomone to reach a 5 percent cut in city government spending.

The cuts would eliminate 10 city positions and freeze the school budget at its current $75 million.

By not increasing the school buidget, education spending would be cut by $3.2 million from the 3 percent increase Salomone originally proposed on April 3. Superintendent Abby Dolliver last week said that cut would amount to 20 school days of operations.

At a 5 percent cut, two police officers, a Human Services case manager, a driver for Rose City Senior Center, a Public Works Department engineer, the recycling coordinator and two clerks would be among the positions lost. Lifeguards at Spaulding Pond would also be eliminated.

City Comptroller Josh Pothier said the cuts total 10.4 full-time equivalent positions, with four positions expected to be lost to layoffs and six through attrition.

At that level also, Norwich would withdraw from the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and would reduce the Otis Library budget to current levels.

A public hearing on the preliminary proposed budget will be held at 7 p.m. May 8 in Council Chambers at City Hall.

Republicans in support of the budget cuts repeatedly said they were reluctant to make the cuts, but said it's past time for the city to become “right sized” based on the local economy and what the struggling city taxpayers can bear. Alderwoman Joanne Philbrick said the voters spoke “loud and clear” in 2015, when they elected a Republican majority council and school board for the first time in decades.

“You gave us a mandate,” Philbrick said. “We are here to do what you elected us to do, so I hope when all is said and done you will support us in our very, very, very difficult decisions.”

Alderman William Nash pointed out that Monday's vote was preliminary and he would support a 2 percent increase in the school budget, and also objects to the plan to eliminate summer swimming in Spaulding Pond at a savings of $38,400, calling it “irresponsible.” Nash said kids would swim in the pond despite the lack of lifeguards in hot weather.

Democratic Mayor Deberey Hinchey objected to the cuts, and cast the lone dissenting vote throughout the review of three spreadsheets of proposed cuts, each one cutting deeper into city staffing and services to reach the 5 percent cut mandated by the council.

Hinchey disputed council claims that there has been no growth in the grand list, which increased by nearly 2 percent in the past year. She said new businesses are moving to the city, with more new announcements expected in the coming days.

She added that the mandated budget cut did not come from the full council, but from the five Republicans. Fellow Democratic Alderman H. Tucker Braddock, who last week objected to the proposed cuts, did not attend Monday's meeting due to a family matter.

c.bessette@theday.com