I’m very happy with the budget. There’s no fluff in it, the only increases are increases that are required.”

Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha

With $2.9 million of debt coming off the books, Barrington officials are expecting the town’s tax levy will actually decrease this year.

Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha released his proposed municipal budget recently and it details the situation. While the town’s operating budget is expected to increase by 4.38 percent (or about $781,000), the impact to taxpayers will be lessened by a significant drop in the town’s debt service.

Mr. Cunha said last year Barrington taxpayers faced an extra payment for the bond that covered the construction of the new middle school. That will not be the case this year.

“Last year we got hit with a big bump in school debt,” Mr. Cunha said. “This year, bonded debt is going down about $2.9 million.”

In addition, the town also recently paid off the FY 2006-07 Building and Recreation Bond, Mr. Cunha said. In total, the town’s debt service is dropping by about 35 percent this year.

Meanwhile, school officials shared their proposed budget recently and it also contains a minimal impact to taxpayers. Barrington school officials are proposing a 1.1 percent increase to the tax levy, which was made possible mostly through a significant increase in state aid to the schools. The state funding to Barrington schools is expected to increase by 37 percent.

Mr. Cunha said he expects the tax rate will decrease this year. Some of that is due to the recent revaluation — town officials said the town’s tax base increased by about 14 percent during the recent revaluation, fueled in part by a robust seller’s market and increased home prices.

‘No fluff in it’

The municipal budget includes increases to the town’s labor contracts. The police officers, dispatchers, and public works department employees will all be receiving a 2 percent salary increase, while the local firefighters’ contract calls for a 2.5 percent increase. Mr. Cunha said the firefighters receive the slightly larger increase because they agreed to enroll in a Health Savings Account medical coverage.

Mr. Cunha praised the municipal department leaders for limiting their proposed budget increases.

“I’m very happy with the budget. There’s no fluff in it, the only increases are increases that are required. Thankfully we had that great reduction in debt and debt interest,” he said. “I think the town municipal department heads did a wonderful job holding back the tide. I think it looks good.”

There are some proposed increases included in the municipal budget. Medical insurance is expected to increase by 14 percent, and the town manager is also proposing two workers be added at the department of public works. The proposed increase in DPW manpower follows the addition of two DPW workers last year. Mr. Cunha had included the positions in his 2020 proposed budget, but members of the town’s Committee on Appropriations recommended the positions not be included, as there was much uncertainty about the state’s budget and the economic climate in general.

However, a resident at last year’s financial town meeting made a motion to add the positions back into the municipal budget, and attendees at the FTM voted in favor of it.

Mr. Cunha said a workforce study he commissioned at the department of public works called for the addition of six workers.

Other proposed increases include a $39,500 bump for refuse disposal as the tipping fees at the state’s landfill are expected to increase from $47 per ton to $50.50 per ton. In addition, over-the-cap tipping fees will increase from $80 per ton to $90.

The town is not proposing any additional bonded projects or work this year.

FTM opinion

Mr. Cunha said he strongly opposes the town holding a virtual financial town meeting this spring.

Members of the Barrington Town Council have been discussing whether to hold an in-person, outdoor, online or a hybrid FTM. In fact, at the March 1 meeting, council members voted 5-0 to draft a request for proposals (RFP) from software companies that could help bring a hybrid FTM to life — a meeting that could be held in-person and online at the same time, and still offer opportunities for resident-verification, discussions, voting, and amendments to be filed during the meeting.

Mr. Cunha said holding a virtual FTM would definitely disenfranchise a significant portion of the town’s population. He said people only need to look at what happened during the early stages of the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out in town, where many older residents were unable to go online to register for the shots.

Some council members have voiced similar concerns.

In addition, Mr. Cunha said this year’s FTM may be sparsely attended, as it appears taxpayers will be minimally impacted by the budget changes. Typically, larger turnouts occur when there are large increases or decreases proposed to the budgets.

“We need 100 people” for a quorum, Mr. Cunha said. “Last year we had 198. I don’t foresee a huge turnout” this year.

Town council adjustments

Members of the Barrington Town Council will hold a meeting on March 22 to review the manager’s proposed budget and make any changes they deem appropriate. Mr. Cunha said he expects the town council will add $500,000 to the expenditures — that is the amount of money the council recently approved to establish a revolving fund for affordable housing. Mr. Cunha said the council could make other changes to the proposed budget also.