NORWICH – The City of Norwich Common Council received a revised 2016 budget last week that, amidst further cuts across multiple departments, includes restoration of funds to the city’s fire department to prevent layoffs.
Revisions include the addition of a nearly $86,800 grant awarded through FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.
Although the initial SAFER grant awarded in July allowed the city more than $560,000 to pay three full-time firefighter positions, city officials questioned at the time how they would continue funding those positions after the grant expires. They accepted only a portion of the grant to continue funding one firefighter position for a two-year period in order to keep the department at 15 full-time employees for the time being.
Facing opposition from the community and the Norwich Firefighters Association, Mayor Joseph Maiurano announced late November that there would be no cuts to fire department staff at this time. The city’s initial proposal was to eliminate five part-time and four full-time positions by the start of the year.
Avoiding those cuts, however, means trimming the budget elsewhere. The city is looking at deeper reductions in most other departments, including an additional $54,000 cutback to regular and post employment personal services in the police department. Post employment services were also reduced by nearly $75,000 for fire department members.
The revised 2016 tentative budget is available online at ecode360.com/NO0235. A public hearing on the $8.46 million spending plan is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Norwich City Court building.
Along with reviewing changes to the budget, the Common Council on Wednesday also approved a resolution allowing them to override the state imposed .73 percent tax levy cap for the coming year. While the adopted resolution doesn’t necessarily mean city officials will override the cap, it does give them that authority.
The measure was adopted by the council in a 5-1 vote, Alderman Bryan McCracken being the only one to oppose it.
McCracken stated that residents ought to have a chance to voice their concern before action is taken. And since a public hearing for the budget isn’t scheduled until Wednesday, the Council should wait before approving a cap override, he said.
“I think taxpayers should have the opportunity to weigh in before we vote,” he added. “I’m just not in favor of it.”
However, since the 2016 cap is an “unrealistic” expectation, according to City Chamberlain John Zielinski, and the New York State Secretary must receive a proposal to override the cap before receiving a budget proposal, a vote to permit a tax cap override was viewed by most city officials as a necessary precautionary maneuver.
“It’s not just procedural,” said City Attorney Patrick Flanagan. “It’s protection for the city.”