Montville — The Town Council approved a $64.7 million budget for 2021-22 last week after taking the advice of the Finance Committee for changes to the mayor’s proposed budget. 

Although the budget represents an almost $2 million, or a 2.87% spending increase from last year’s $62,870,699 total, the tax rate will drop, mostly because of the town’s use of federal COVID-19 recovery funds. 

During last week’s special meeting, the tax rate was cut to 31.75 mills. The 0.63-mill decrease spurred every councilor to compliment Mayor Ron McDaniel, Finance Director Theresa Hart, the finance department and the finance committee for putting together the budget the council approved. Last year’s tax rate was 32.38 mills.

Council Chairman Tim May also attributed the tax decrease to the amount of taxes the town collected this past year. The town estimated it would collect 98% of taxes but ended up receiving more than 98.5%. 

"We made a prediction that 98% would pay their taxes because of COVID," May said. "It was great to see the folks were able to pay. The state funding was icing on the cake so to speak."

The final budget number includes $39,816,140 for the Board of Education, a 1.38% increase, $23,488,954 for the general government fund and $1,371,072 for capital improvements.

Town councilors, with some consternation, on May 10 agreed to add $605,000 in unspent funds from last year’s education reserve fund to roll over for this year’s Board of Education budget. That money does not affect the new budget, but some councilors felt the Board of Education should earmark how the education reserve fund money will be spent.

Town councilors reduced the requested 2021-22 Board of Education budget by $70,000.

The mayor’s proposed budget came in at $64,677,481, with $39,886,140 for the Board of Education, $1,296,072 for capital improvement and $23,495,269 for general government. 

Last week, the Town Council increased funding for adult education, public works seasonal help and other spending items, while decreasing proposed funding for the Raymond Library Commission, engineering land use, resident state trooper overtime, public safety building electricity, street light repairs, and Camp Oakdale electricity, among other reductions.

Montville's budget is lower than other local towns with similar populations, such as Stonington, Waterford and East Lyme. This year, Waterford approved a $97.4 million budget, East Lyme $77.9 million and Stonington a $73 million budget. Almost 53% of Waterford’s total budget was spent on the Board of Education, compared to 52% in Stonington, 67% in East Lyme and 61% in Montville.

s.spinella@theday.com