The Bethel Community Gazette

We provide readers with the updated proposed budget, ballet questions, where to vote and when to vote.

On Thursday, April 11 Bethel voters go to the polls to vote on the Town and School budget referendum. This section explains where to vote and reviews the proposed budget that was sent to the referendum vote at the Annual Town Meeting last week.

Click here to read First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker's Letter To The Editor about the budget vote

Polls are open from 6 a.m. To 8 p.m.

The Proposed Budget

Proposed
DEPARTMENT/ACCT 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 Change
100 SELECTMEN 262,379 260,197 278,081 17,884
110 TREASURER 8,523 6,000 5,500 -500
120 FINANCE 434,113 442,814 449,238 6,424
130 TOWN CLERK 219,008 233,510 234,296 786
140 ASSESSOR 236,100 224,942 229,990 5,048
150 TAX COLLECTOR 196,054 205,018 209,948 4,930
160 LEGAL & OTHER 282,687 216,080 251,080 35,000
170 PROBATE COURT 5,277 5,201 5,497 296
180 BUILDING INSPECTION 238,140 248,946 262,460 13,514
190 DATA PROCESSING 252,620 301,903 311,690 9,787
200 SOCIAL SERVICES 73,246 88,883 87,678 -1,205
210 TOWN INSURANCE 1,374,204 1,399,999 1,399,999 0
220 FLEET MAINTENANCE 357,572 331,050 335,450 4,400
230 PUBLIC WORKS ADMIN 334,983 322,478 332,487 10,009
240 HIGHWAY DEPART 1,884,750 2,071,113 2,093,118 22,005
245 TRANSFER STATION 185,033 185,125 195,125 10,000
250 PLANNING & ZONING 237,460 236,304 244,762 8,458
260 BUILDING MAINTENANCE 708,162 722,212 759,852 37,640
270 TREE WARDEN 129,110 85,400 100,400 15,000
290 EMERGENCY MGMNT 20,642 28,176 28,580 404
300 FIRE MARSHALL 89,801 96,819 100,017 3,198
310 BETHEL FIRE DEPT 180,347 170,250 182,900 12,650
320 STONY HILL FIRE DEPT 120,655 128,750 130,250 1,500
330 REGISTRAR OF VOTERS 96,406 100,350 99,650 -700
340 BOARDS & COMMISSIONS 40,636 56,750 59,250 2,500
350 HEALTH DEPARTMENT 248,278 318,097 350,859 32,762
360 POLICE DEPARTMENT 4,593,868 4,570,424 4,734,263 163,839
380 PARKS AND RECREATION 1,481,401 1,293,760 1,512,597 218,837
390 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 5,319,019 5,898,235 6,192,677 294,442
405 INTRA GOVERNMENT 451,723 443,425 467,132 23,707
410 UTILITIES & OTHR CHRGS 2,501,386 2,518,685 2,580,009 61,324
420 MISC CHARGES & TRANS 286,809 776,029 1,030,071 254,042
430 SENIOR CENTER 198,223 232,515 229,112 -3,403
435 LIBRARY 856,892 877,556 897,492 19,936
440 DEBT SERVICE 5,849,519 3,939,238 5,219,133 1,279,895
460 BLDG MAINT-EDUCATION 532,108 500,008 480,000 -20,008
TOWN BUDGET 30,287,134 29,536,242 32,080,643 2,544,401
BOARD OF ED 43,415,854 45,116,282 46,465,473 1,349,191
TOTAL BUDGET 73,702,988 74,652,524 78,546,116 3,893,592

Department Capital Items 2019-2020
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL BOILER $1,000,000

Ballet Questions

Question 1: Town Municipal Budget

Shall the Town of Bethel appropriate the sum of Thirty One Million Nine Hundred Sixty One Thousand Forty Three ($31,961,043.00) Dollars as presented by the Annual Town on Meeting of April 1, 2019 as the Annual Town Operating Budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2019

Yes(_)

No (_)

Non Binding Advisory Question 1

Is the recommended Annual Town Operating Budget of Thirty One Million Nine Hundred Sixty One Thousand Forty Three ($31,961,043.00) Dollars...

TOO HIGH (_)

TOO LOW (_)

Question 2: Town Education Budget

Shall the Town of Bethel appropriate the sum of Forty Six Million Four Hundred Fifteen Thousand Four Hundred Seventy Three ($46,415,473.00) Dollars as presented by the Annual Town Meeting of April 1, 2019 as the Annual Board of Education Budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2019...

Yes(_)

No (_)

Non Binding Advisory Question 2

Is the recommended Annual Board of Education Budget of Forty Six Million Four Hundred Fifteen Thousand Four Hundred Seventy Three ($ 46,415,473.00) Dollars...

TOO HIGH (_)

TOO LOW (_)

Question 3

Shall the Town of Bethel appropriate the sum of One Million Dollars as approved by the Annual Town Meeting of April 1, 2019 for capital item expenditures and further

authorizing the issuance of short term notes and/or bonds of the Town of Bethel in an amount not exceeding ($ 1, 000,000.00) Dollars to finance the appropriation of said sum

for all costs incurred for the following capital expenditure

Board of Education High School Boilers $1,000,000.00

Yes(_)

No (_)

Where To Vote

District I & IV, Municipal Center

District II, Stony Hill Fire Dept.

District III & V, Berry School

Look up your location online at: portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx