CLASS IN SESSION: Derby public officials at a budget meeting in the basement of city hall Tuesday.
DERBY — The Derby tax board Tuesday approved a $42.7 million budget that holds the line on taxes while putting money aside to get a school resource officer inside Derby Public Schools.
The budget carries a 1 percent increase in spending.
The need for a school resource officer at Derby High School was raised during a public hearing in front of the tax board May 23.
At the time Derby Public Schools Superintendent Matthew Conway said he fears Derby is ripe for a school shooting, based on recent mass-shooting studies. The plan was for the school district to use some $60,000 in federal “e‑rate” grant money to pay the police officer’s salary, while the city would pay for benefits.
The officer would be a new hire — one who has not passed through the police academy yet.
However, the Derby Police Commission met to discuss the matter Friday — and now the specific plan about how to get a school officer in the school system is nebulous.
The school and police department may opt to hire retired police officers and employ them part-time in several school buildings.
But the important thing, according to Conway — the tax board Tuesday set aside some $65,000 for the concept. The specific details will be worked out later.
The tax board unanimously voted to give the schools a 1.2 percent budget-to-budget increase.
However, that increase was about $291,000 less than what Conway and the Derby school board said was needed to maintain operations in the school district.
Conway pointed out the city will be saving money this year by switching health care plans — a move happening in part thanks to the school district.
The superintendent suggested putting some of those savings toward the school district.
In the end the tax board declined to do so.
After the tax board vote, Conway said positions may have to be cut in the school district. He also said the school plans to search for more grant money to avoid staff cuts.
“I’ll have to look it over with our business manager tomorrow. It’s going to be tough,” Conway said.
The Derby Board of Education could also discuss how they’ll handle the situation at a meeting scheduled for June 5.
The new budget, which covers one year starting July 1, also sets aside $70,000 that could be used for raises for Derby police officers. The police union is just starting to negotiate a new contract.
About $35,000 was set aside for an assistant within the town clerk’s office.
The tax board also managed to dedicate $200,000 for “fund balance restoration.” The city had been admonished by bond rating agencies for having low cash reserves.
The tax board had debated a slight tax increase — .1 or .2 percent — in order to provide some more money for the schools, and to give city finances some wiggle room in case of another state financial crisis.
But tax board member Jerry Borrelli cautioned against raising taxes, pointing out that business owners and families can’t simply create more revenue when their budgets are tight.
And tax board member Shirley Miani repeatedly reminded the board Derby families are finally scheduled to start paying down roughly $31 million in sewer repairs that voters approved in 2014.
That bill is going to be roughly $250 on average for single-family houses — annually, for the forseeable future.
