50°
Moderator Jeff Steele and the Fairfield Representative Town Meeting had a full agenda Monday night, even before their discussion of the towns spending for 2011-2012. Heres a rundown of their decisions:
? By a 38-4-1 vote, the RTM approved a new contract with the Town Employees union. Under the new deal, the towns workers get pay increases ranging from 0 to 3.5 percent over the next three years, depending on department. But the major change was that new hires retirement benefits will be handled on a 401(a) plan rather than the towns current pension plan.
What it means for you: Even with the pay increases, the new retirement plan should save the town money in the future, since it relies more on employee contributions. This could mean lower taxes for Fairfield homeowners in the future.
? The RTM voted 30-13 to issue bonds for $450,000 to pay for the last phase of a Local Area Network switch system upgrade for Fairfield Public Schools. The $450,000 set aside in the Board of Educations budget for the switches will now go into the towns Internal Service Fund, which supports town employee insurance and workmans compensation claims, and which the town and school district underfunded in previous years.
What it means for you: The switch upgrade will improve Internet access in the remainder of Fairfields classrooms. Teachers will now have better access to items such as streaming videos in their lessons. On the financial side, adding to the towns Internal Service Fund should preserve Fairfields AAA rating with credit agencies. As a result, the Finance Department can issue bonds at lower interest rates, saving money for Fairfields taxpayers.
Do you have a question about a local issue? Ask in the comments below, or send queries to gcanuel@mainstreetconnect.us.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Fairfield and receive free news updates.
