Thursday, January 16, 2020
www.plainvillecitizen.com
Volume 16, Number 50
Potential budget scenarios discussed at library forum It’s a new year, and town officials have begun the process of crafting their annual budget proposals. “Right now it seems like a typical year for Plainville,” Town Manager Robert Lee said. “ … I don’t see any big concerns, but you know these things can change relatively quickly.” Lee and Superintendent of Schools Steven LePage held a budget forum at the library on Tuesday, Jan. 7. While two potential budget scenarios were presented, Lee pointed out that he had yet to receive the Board of Education’s operational budget or all requests from municipal department heads.
The first scenario sees both general government and education spending increasing by around 2.5 percent, or $1.4 million. The increase accounts for rising fixed costs — such as wages and insurance — and capital spending.
Paired with around $600,000 of additional revenue the town is anticipating from state grants and grand list growth, this budget would lead to a mill rate increase of 0.55, or 1.6 percent. The second scenario assumes that a spending increase close to last year’s $1.7 million boost would be necessary, which would increase both sides of the budget by 3 percent. Still, the tax hike would be smaller than last year – 0.74 mills or 2.1 percent, versus 0.78 mills or 2.3 percent. The town is in a strong enough position that Lee feels it can ramp up capital spending using savings to address maintenance and upgrades that have been pushed off. That plan would take around $800,000 from the general fund, $1 million from the unassigned fund balance and $200,000 in debt management funds. See Budget, A9
Firefighters responded to a fire on Dec. 31, 2019 at Clean Earth in Plainville, a soil treatment and recycling facility located at 58 N. Washington St. Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen
Recycling facility expected to reopen next month By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
The 2 p.m. fire took approximately 40 minutes to extinguish. Firefighters remained at the scene until almost 9 p.m. to check for hotspots.
The operators of a soil treatment and recycling facility damaged by a fire on Dec. 31 The fire damaged the faciliplan to resume operations ty’s wet scrubber and stack next month. emissions monitor. The Scott Miller, general manag- stack was removed after the er of Clean Earth of Confire due to damage to the necticut, spoke before the structure around it. Town Council during its Monday, Jan. 6 meeting, pre- The company operates “a state-of-the-art thermal senting information about treatment facility processing damage to the 58 N. Washnon-hazardous petroleumington St. plant, formerly contaminated soils,” accordPhoenix Soil. ing to its website.
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The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also responded and in conjunction with firefighters determined that there was no health risks to area residents. According to Environmental Protection Agency records, no violations had been found at the facility over the past three years. The Plainville-Southington Regional Health District continues to monitor the situation through DEEP, Town Manager Robert Lee said.
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By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen