Norwich — The City Council has moved all departmental budget hearings, including a Saturday session, to the Council Chambers at City Hall, where they will be recorded and broadcast live on cable TV.

City Manager Alan Bergren presented his $116.5 million budget to the council Monday. The budget calls for a 1.5 percent spending increase but would need a 5.1 percent property tax increase, mainly because of declining state revenues, Bergren said.

The proposed school budget would remain at this year’s total, $70.38 million, and the city budget would increase by $1.8 million, to $38.4 million. The property tax rate would have to rise by 1.37 mills, to 27.91 mills, citywide to cover the budget increase.

Property owners in the central fire district would see another nearly 0.5 mill tax increase, to 5.05 mills, to cover the $7.1 million paid fire department budget. Residents in the city’s five volunteer districts would pay an additional 0.36 mills for volunteer firefighter pensions.

Bergren is proposing using $400,000 from the city’s general fund to offset a portion of the tax increase needed for the budget.

The budget review schedule is as follows:

-- 7:30 p.m. April 4, 8 a.m. April 6, and 7:30 p.m. April 29, City Council departmental budget hearings.

-- 7:30 p.m. April, 8, first budget public hearing.

-- 7:30 p.m. April 22, City Council hearing with Board of Education.

-- 7:30 p.m. May 6, City Council to adopt preliminary budget.

-- 7:30 p.m. May 13, second budget public hearing.

-- 7:30 p.m. June 3, City Council budget adoption, tentative.

— Claire Bessette