Norwich – In the slim hope that the state legislature will have some budget answers by next week, City Council Republicans voted Monday to postpone action on council Democrats' effort to restore $1.5 million to the school budget until June 12, the final city charter deadline date for passing a city budget.  

The council voted 5-2 along party lines to postpone the school funding vote, which represented the majority of the $1.9 million in funding Democratic Mayor Deberey Hinchey and Democratic Alderman H. Tucker Braddock attempted to restore to the 2017-18 budget.

Council President Pro Tempore Peter Nystrom called it irresponsible to approve a $1.5 million increase to the school budget without knowing about the 40 percent of the city's revenues from the state. Nystrom proposed a resolution to postpone the school budget resolution.

Hinchey voted against postponing the school funding vote, saying state officials already have made it clear the state will not have a budget by next week. The council plans to adopt a final budget at a special meeting next Monday.

While the school budget vote was postponed, the council voted on several other budget restoring recommendations, voting unanimously to restore $38,400 for swimming at Spaulding Pond, $36,963 to restore a senior center van driver, and $25,580 to restore membership to the Connecticut Council of Municipalities.

Prior to the vote, CCM spokesman Kevin Maloney told the council that 140 Norwich residents saved $11,000 using the CCM prescription drug discount program in the past year.

Other votes on budget items were split, voting 4-3 in favor of restoring $47,214 for a clerk position in the city clerk's office and 4-3 in favor of restoring $68,405 for a code enforcement secretary. The council voted 5-2 along party lines against funding for a clerk in the assessor's office, against restoring a city engineering position, against restoring the recycling coordinator.

Prior to the votes, the council once again heard from numerous residents on budget issues, with most favoring restoring funding to the school budget, swimming at Spaulding Pond and for the Public Works Department staffing.

Resident Joseph DeLucia agreed with a comment earlier by Public Works Director Ryan Thompson who said businesses are returning to Norwich, and now it's up to the City Council to make Norwich attractive to families. Parents with children in the school system asked for support of the school budget to provide Norwich students with the foundation they need to thrive at Norwich Free Academy.

There appears to be support on the council for the school funding. Prior to postponing the vote, Republican Aldermen William Nash and Stacy Gould expressed support for increasing the school budget, with Nash saying he was in favor of the $1.5 million.

c.bessette@theday.com