Groton — The Town Council approved Tuesday a fiscal year 2020 budget of $129,062,692 that restores funding for the Mystic & Noank Library, Bill Memorial Library, Groton Ambulance Association and Mystic River Ambulance Association, which were facing proposed 25 percent cuts.

The Town Council's budget is 2.5 percent more than the fiscal year 2019 spending plan. It takes $1,307,000 from the town's fund balance, so the tax rate for next year tentatively would remain at its current rate of 24.17 mills.

The council's budget supports the Board of Education's $77,438,090 proposed spending plan, a 1.24 percent increase over the current year's education funding.

In March, Town Manager John Burt put forth a proposed budget of $129,421,737, a 2.8 percent increase, that would use about $1.5 million from the town's fund balance to realize a flat tax rate for next year. During a March public hearing, many residents spoke against the 25 percent cuts to the Mystic & Noank Library and Bill Memorial Library proposed in the budget.

The council, which has been holding budget review sessions since the end of March, added funding for the Mystic & Noank Library, Bill Memorial Library, Groton Ambulance and Mystic River Ambulance, as well as some funding to outside agencies. The council reduced the proposed budget by $359,045 by cutting some capital projects, trimming $7,000 from the Public Works budget, and reducing the amount of funding requested for Groton Long Point Police and highway maintenance, according to town documents.

The request for Groton Long Point Police represented a 14.6 percent increase, and Town Mayor Patrice Granatosky said the council cut the requested funding to be more in line with the percent increases for the town and city police departments. The council also reduced the requested 21.1 percent increase for the Groton Long Point highway maintenance budget.

The council's budget also removes some capital projects initially proposed for next fiscal year. Projects removed include an information technology item that Burt said the IT manager later determined was unnecessary, since a new software system would handle the backup of data and other functions. The budget also doesn't include funding to upgrade and purchase squad cameras for town police, as specifications haven't been written for the equipment and it hasn't been priced yet, but the police likely will resubmit the request next year, Burt said.    

The council held off on funding proposed studies of vacant elementary schools to allow for more discussions and information on how the town should proceed.

The budget also reflects a $35,800 decrease in personnel costs for the Groton Public Library, as the library had adjusted two positions as part of a reorganization plan, according to a town document. The change was made after the initial budget was submitted, Burt said.

As Groton may face future funding challenges, such as the potential to lose the Alliance District status in the next few years, which would mean a loss in some state education revenue, Granatosky said the council had to exercise a lot of fiscal restraint and is pleased with the steady mill rate.

Granatosky praised the town manager and staff for dissecting what the town really needs, as it tries to be mindful of the financial forecast over the next few years. She said they brought forward a budget that the council "had a lot of faith in." 

"We're trying to be as responsible as we can while maintaining the quality of life," she added.

The budget now heads to the Representative Town Meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at the Groton Senior Center.

The RTM has to wrap up its budget deliberations by midnight on May 25, according to the budget schedule.

k.drelich@theday.com