Woodbury Finance Board Approves Several Cuts

The Board of Finance has approved several budget cuts, reducing the budget and raising the mill rate to 23.4.

The Board of Selectmen sent a list of proposed budget reductions, generated by Woodbury department heads at the request of First Selectman Jerry Stomski, to the finance board Wednesday. The finance board then met Thursday night and approved every one of the proposed reductions with the exception of a $10,000 cut for elimination of a part-time police officer.

The largest reduction approved by the board was a $100,000 cut from the roads account. The board then put an additional $96,000 from the projected surplus into the budget, according to Board of Finance Chair Bill Butterly.

These cuts bring the town’s projected mill rate up to 23.4. The previous mill rate had been set at 23.00. 

“The budget that the Selectmen had handed us with these cuts showed a need for a 23.5 mills so we managed to cut 1/10 of a mill from their recommendations,” said Butterly.

The Board of Selectman will meet Friday to set a date for a new town meeting and referendum. 

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article reported the Mill Rate was reduced, that was incorrect, the Mill Rate rose from 23.00 to 23.4. The proposed cuts called for 23.5 mills and that was reduced to 23.4, but overall the rate rose.