By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — The Board of Finance on Wednesday got its first look at the first selectwoman’s proposed town budget of $78 million for fiscal year 2023, as well as the schools’ $130 million spending plan.

Overall spending requests for the new fiscal year, which starts July 1, total nearly $224 million when additional expenses such as the Westport Library and debt service are added to the main operating budgets, according to newly released documents.

The finance board also saw for the first time the school district’s new capital improvement plan. It’s intended to avoid large-scale, costly surprises like emergency repairs at Long Lots and Coleytown elementaries.

Town-side budget 1.2 percent higher, schools up 3.75 percent

First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, under the first budget prepared in her new administration, proposes town-side spending of $78,025,657 — $921,665, or 1.2 percent, more than the current fiscal year.

The Board of Education, which approved its 2022-23 operating budget request in January, is asking for $130,308,646. That’s $4,714,064, or 3.75 percent, more than the current year.

After the Board of Finance reviews and votes on the budgets, the spending package moves on to the Representative Town Meeting for final action.

Tooker details pending improvements

Tooker’s wide-ranging discussion detailed how taxpayer money is being used around town by various departments to keep Westport a place people want to live. 

“I’m committed to revitalizing our downtown,” the first selectwoman told the board, mentioning future improvements to downtown parking lots, including revamping the Baldwin Lot off Elm Street, which begins soon.

“We’ve seen a record number of residents embracing our outdoor lifestyle that the town offers, utilizing our golf courses, our tennis and paddle facilities, Cockenoe Island, our parks, our beaches,” she said. 

The town-side budget is roughly one third of overall municipal spending most years. 

The largest portion of the town budget, $22.8 million, is for public safety. That’s followed by $20.1 million for pensions, insurance and related accounts. The Department of Public Works, at $10.7 million, is next.

School officials offer plan for capital projects

Board of Education Chairwoman Lee Goldstein told the Board of Finance that local taxpayers’ money supports a nationally recognized public school system.

“When I was going through the numbers, I was surprised, pleasantly surprised, that we really are keeping in line with inflation,” Goldstein said.

She said the 3.75 percent increase in education spending might drop to about 3.1 with some expected savings.

Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice also unveiled the school district’s new Capital Improvement Plan, developed with the consulting firm, Colliers International.

It’s a long-range blueprint for improvements and repairs stretching to fiscal year 2028.

It details what’s needed, school by school, from major projects, such as new buildings or roofs, down to smaller repairs like bathroom stalls.

The plan also rates the condition of each school on a scale of 1 to 4, 1 being the best.

Receiving the top Level 1 grade were Greens Farms Elementary and Coleytown Middle, the latter reopened last year after a $32 million renovation project.

Saugatuck and Kings Highway elementaries, Bedford Middle and Staples High School are graded Level 2.

Coleytown Elementary is Level 3.

At Level 4 is Long Lots Elementary, which school officials in January said needs repairs costing at least $22 million.

Scarice said decisions will have to be made on whether to renovate or replace Coleytown and Long Lots elementaries in coming years.

Public hearings on spending plans next week

The Board of Finance will hold public hearings on the 2022-23 budget proposals over several nights next week in the Town Hall auditorium and live-streamed via the town’s website and on Optimum Government Access Channel 79 and Frontier Channel 6020.

The hearing on Tooker’s town-side budget will be discussed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8 (extending to March 9, if needed) and the hearing on the Board of Education spending plan will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10.