CLINTON - After discussion at last week's Clinton Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting, members voted to reduce the Board of Educations (BOE) proposed Capital Improvement line item by $302,000.

The BOE capital expenditures was originally proposed at $402,000, but after hearing Superintendent of Schools Jack Cross's presentation to the joint BOS and Board of Finance (BOF) two weeks ago when the school leader said he's projecting a surplus of approximately $600,000, the selectmen felt it would be in the best interest of the town to trim back the capital number.

"Because of that surplus I'm recommending that we cut capital at least in half," First Selectman William "Willie" Fritz said.

"History shows that the [BOE has] hundreds of thousands of dollars in surplus," Selectman Carol Walter added.

The proposed BOE operating budget is $30,640,862, a 0.59 percent increase, or $179,134 compared to the $30,461,728 budget for 2012-'13.

With the $302,000 reduction, the new request for capital expenditures for the BOE totals to $100,000, which brings the total BOE proposed budget (including capital and debt reduction line items) to $31,063,045.

Selectmen Raymond Rigat, who recently was sworn in replacing State Representative Thomas Vicino, approved the motion to reduce capital, but first recommended to cut $200,000 rather than $300,000.

"What you're suggesting makes sense to cut some capital-I'm just concerned if there's some unseen disaster," Rigat stated.

No changes were made to the operating budget, for which Cross said the key drivers were personnel, health insurance, and special education.

The BOF began deliberating on both the $15,370,951 town budget, which shows a proposed 2.89 percent increase, as well as the BOE proposed budget, on March 11 at its regular meeting. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, followed by a town meeting on May 1, and the public referendum on May 8.