Montville ― Mayor Ron McDaniel is proposed a $71.2 million dollar budget to the Town Council, a 10.1% increase from last year’s approved budget.

Last year, the Town Council approved a $64.4 million budget, which decreased the mayor’s initial proposal by more than $950,000.

At the council’s April 10 meeting, McDaniel attributed the increases to a few key areas, most notable the addition of seven town staff positions, which directly impact health insurance and pension costs.

“As I have said every year, I do appreciate the hard work of the town staff who work within our means to submit realistic requests,” he told the council.

The town will officially transition to an independent police force in July and will no longer need to pay for a Resident State Trooper, which the town budgeted more than $240,000 for last year. It also budgeted for $3,000 in overtime expenses.

Now, the town will have to pay the salary of its first police chief, Wilfred Blanchette, $120,000, as well as $50,800 for an administrative assistant.

The Resident State Trooper program also allowed the town to use state police dispatchers. Now, the town will have to budget for four new dispatchers, totaling $268,600. The mayor’s proposal also budgeted $20,000 extra for dispatcher overtime pay.

The seventh position added to the budget this year is the human resources director, a $102,500 salary that was previously covered by American Rescue Plan Act funds.

McDaniel said $1 million of operating expenses that were previously funded by ARPA monies are back on the budget this year.

To help mitigate the tax impact, McDaniel said he proposed the town use $2.9 million of its unallocated fund balance.

The town has not yet released a proposed tax rate, which will change as the budget is reviewed by the Finance Committee and the Town Council.

McDaniel attributed other increases to increased utility and commodity costs and supply chain issues that magnify inflationary increases, as well as the bonds for paving roads and school infrastructure projects. He said the town continues to pursue state grants for the school projects.

The proposal also supports the $43.7 million Board of Education proposed budget in full, which includes $525,500 in additional recommended expenditures from Superintendent Laurie Pallin. That includes five additional special education teachers, an athletic trainer, two part-time custodians, a middle school physical education/health teacher and a full-time instructional leadership coach.

The Finance Committee has already begun to dissect the proposed budget line by line and will next comb through the Board of Education’s budget.

The Town Council will hold two public hearings next week. On Wednesday, the council will hold one for the General Government budget, and one on Thursday for the Board of Education budget.

“We all have our collective work cut out for us,” McDaniel told the council.

k.arnold@theday.com