Sharon readies budgets for hearing

After weeks of meetings, the Board of Finance voted unanimously at a special meeting on Wednesday, April 10 to send the proposed 2024-25 annual budgets for the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education to public hearing.

The proposed spending plan for Sharon Center School anticipates total expenditures of $4,328,390, a reduction from the current year by $185,937 (4.12%). When the Region One assessment is added, the total education budget rises to $6,045,960, but overall education costs still exhibit a savings of $57,396 (0.94%) when compared with the current year.

The Board of Selectmen’s budget proposal anticipates total town spending of $5,791,308, an increase of $461,580 (8.66%) over the current year. When expected revenues are taken into account, the total town spending budget is reduced to $4,969,207, an increase of $262,630 (5.58%) over the current year.

A portion of the increase in the selectmen’s budget is the result of recent negotiation of a three-year union contract for highway department employees, bringing wage levels closer to those offered by area towns similar to Sharon, First Selectman Casey Flanagan reported. Alignment with area towns improves retention rates among employees and ensures applications from qualified candidates when vacancies occur.

Residents can review the budget proposals on April 26 at a Board of Finance public hearing, at the Town Hall, beginning at 7 p.m. Copies of the proposed budgets are posted on the town website at www.sharonct.org.