The Committee on Appropriations is recommending a 5 percent increase to the proposed municipal budget. 

Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey initially proposed a 5.41 percent increase (or $1,008,029) to the municipal operating budget — the increase was expected to cover salary raises for union and non-union employees alike, including a $15 per hour minimum wage for all hourly employees. Also included in the budget was money for a new position for the police department: a lieutenant who would help oversee a new body-worn camera program.

But on Tuesday, April 11, the COA voted to recommend a slightly lesser increase of 5.01 percent (or $937,958) for the municipal budget. That shift will likely result in the delayed addition of the new police lieutenant position.

Cynthia Rosengard, the chairwoman of the COA, shared a statement with the Barrington Times late last week. In it, she wrote: “This year’s COA conducted reviews of the presented budgets and a discussion with the state pension representative. At our second to last meeting (on April 5), one member of the COA suggested, despite the small impact of the presented budgets on the taxpayers and their own inability to find over-spending in the budgets that were presented, that spending increases ought to be curtailed. Three scenarios were presented that would cut increases in spending to 4%, 4.5% or 5%.

“During this week’s meeting (April 11), Town Manager Hervey presented the impact of the suggested scenarios on the presented municipal budget– including the need to delay the hire of a new police lieutenant who was to oversee a new body-worn camera program that is a priority of the police chief and to put off air-conditioning for the library sorting room.”

Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia said that despite the delayed hiring of a new, third lieutenant in the department, he does not intend to delay the implementation of the new body-worn camera program. 

“We have to make it work,” he said. “It’s too important.”

Chief Correia said the state will fund the purchase of the body-worn cameras for the police departments — that funding will also cover the software needed for the cameras and the cloud storage required. The chief said he feels strongly that the program also needs to have a supervisor, which was the basis for his lieutenant position request. 

“You need a supervisor… this needs to be consistent,” he added. 

Chief Correia said the addition of the new position in the budget was done when he negotiated the new police department contract with former Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha. Chief Correia and Cunha also agreed on a 4.0 percent salary increase for local police officers. 

Chief Correia said he believes Barrington residents expect a professional police department in their community, and professional police departments are including body-worn cameras. 

Pressures on the budget

Current Town Manager Phil Hervey said the town is expecting an increase in state aid to schools (23 percent more than last year) and there was also a reduction in the municipal capital budget.

But despite those factors, there are still plenty of budgetary challenges, beyond the addition of a new lieutenant position in the police department.

“There’s just so many different pressures on this budget,” Hervey said. “There’s no debt falling off, so there’s no opening there.”

Hervey referenced the four labor contracts: a 2.5 percent increase for the fire department; 4.0 percent increase for police; and 3 percent increases for the dispatchers and the department of public works. 

“Those contracts go into effect July 1,” Hervey said. 

“Then you factor in inflation. Look at gas prices. You need to be able to fuel up your trucks at public works, at the fire department, at the police department… That’s unavoidable. There’s nothing you can do about that. It’s out of your control.”

Hervey said the capital budget offered very limited opportunities for reductions. Officials are proposing a $1.613 million capital budget, which includes $235,000 for self-contained breathing apparatus for the fire department, $130,000 for public safety building improvements, $40,000 to re-side the Bay Spring Community Center, and $200,000 for climate mitigation projects. There is also $80,000 to replace two boilers at the Barrington Town Hall.

“I think, given all the changes, all the union contracts and inflationary pressures, no debt falling off, I think we have a budget that keeps us on a good track,” Hervey said.

No bonds needed

Hervey said there are two sources of money that will help Barrington officials avoid the need to go out for bonds: About $4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding and another $4 million in surplus money from the Barrington Middle School construction bond.

Hervey said he hopes to use some of the money to fund the construction of new sidewalks on Lincoln Avenue, Maple Avenue and some other streets. 

“To me, it’s a high priority, because it’s coming from planning and doing a Complete Streets plan, and walking around town,” Hervey said. 

The use of surplus school construction bond money will require voter approval at the May financial town meeting for reallocation to the street improvements. 

“We didn’t have to include new debt. That’s why we’re trying to get the approval at the financial town meeting for voters to reallocate it for sidewalks and bike safety. We haven’t had the resources to do these types of projects. We had to rely on federal grants for most of the Safe Routes to School projects,” Hervey said.

“These needs are now.”