RST plan moves ahead, funds added to budget

KENT — At a special meeting of the Board of Selectmen (BOS) on Thursday, Feb. 21, the board voted unanimously to insert a new budget line for fiscal year 2013-14 for a resident state trooper. The maximum amount that the town would be liable for in the coming year, $113,437.15, was added to the budget.The town is unlikely to have to pay the full cost, which is 70 percent of a trooper’s salary, equipment and benefits.At a public hearing Feb. 15 on whether or not to reinstate the resident trooper program here, the three private preparatory schools in town said they would donate $20,000 each, for a $60,000 total, to the town each year to help defray the costs. The three schools are Kent School, Marvelwood School and South Kent School.First Selectman Bruce Adams said in an interview this week with The Lakeville Journal that he met with Arthur Goodearl, head of the Marvelwood School, who is acting as spokesman for the three schools on this matter, to work out details of a contract the town attorney will draw up covering the donations. Adams feels it would be in everyone’s interests if the schools committed to make these contributions for a specific number of years, rather than leaving it open ended. The first selectman also said the three schools understand they will receive no special police services because of these donations. “The schools will get the same access to police services as any other organization in town.”The $113,437.15 estimated cost is based on a contract with a trooper who is at the highest pay grade level. Adams explained, “Even though the three schools are committed to donating $60,000 annually to help pay for the RST, the town’s attorney advised us to put the entire amount in the budget and then treat the schools’ donations as extra income.” Randy Dibella from the law firm of Cramer and Anderson’s New Milford office is the town attorney.Adams said Dibella is already working on a draft contract between the State Police and the town of Kent for this program if approved at the budget town meeting for the next fiscal year.A hand vote was taken at the Feb. 15 meeting, which was attended by approximately 60 people. The majority said they are in favor of reinstating the resident trooper program.At their meeting after the hearing, the selectmen agreed to add money to the budget for the trooper. Taxpayers have the option at town meeting of not passing the budget if they do not want the trooper program; or passing the budget if they do want it. They will have the opportunity at budget meetings in the coming weeks to express their opinions as well.Kent had a resident state trooper from 1966 to 2009.