By Susan MacEachron

The Board of Finance (BoF) had a first look at the town government portion of the fiscal year 2024/25
budget at its meeting on March 12. The overall budget of about $8 million has three major components:
town government and services, Botelle School and Northwestern Regional School District Number 7
(Regional 7). Absent finding ways to reduce the budget, taxes will need to increase between 2.5 and 3
percent.

First Selectman Matt Riiska highlighted key components of the proposed budget and noted that the
single largest factor in the overall increase is from Regional 7. Norfolk’s share of the $21.9 million budget
is $2,146,487. This is a 19 percent increase over the current year. Regional 7 educates students from
four towns, and each year the school budget is allocated based on the number of students per town.
Norfolk will have an increase of six students next year, and the other three towns will have a decrease in
their student populations.

Riiska noted that the budget includes a 3 percent wage increase for town employees and Botelle School
and Regional 7 staff and a 2.5 percent increase for Public Works Department employees under their
contract, which is up for renewal this year.

The budget includes additional expense for a revaluation of properties in the coming year. Based upon
results in neighboring towns, property values could increase significantly. In the current year, the Grand
List, i.e., the assessed value of town properties, increased by $4 million to $282,252,298.

Retirement Plan Committee Chair Susan MacEachron reported on the purchase of a group annuity
contract to fulfil the town’s obligations under the terminated defined benefit plan. MacEachron said
that after paying for the contract the $1.2 million of excess funds in the plan will revert to the town.
Riiska said he wants to use a portion of the money to pay off the final three years of remaining debt of
$392,693 for the Botelle School windows and doors and the ambulance building. Repayment of this
long-term loan benefits the 2024/25 budget by removing $134,411 of debt service expense. This
reduction is key to the town government portion of the budget being slightly lower year over year.
Even with that burden lifted, however, the town’s overall debt service will increase next year because of
the increased payment required to service the loan for the Maple Avenue refurbishment and the new
roof for Botelle School. Riiska mentioned that he has been consulting with outside bond counsel and
hopes the town might be able to refinance the $4 million loan at a lower rate.

Riiska next updated the BoF on the settlement of the sidewalk “slip and fall” case against the town.
While he could not disclose the terms of the settlement, he said a jury had been empaneled to hear the
case when a last-minute settlement was reached. Riiska reported that he is consulting with Julie
Scharnberg from the Norfolk Historic District Commission about replacing the offending sidewalk from
Mountain Road to the White House. Options include either grass or a gravel path; Riiska ruled out
replacing the granite stone sidewalk based on cost.

The big new slide installed at Botelle School in September 2023 at a cost of $78,000 is broken. Riiska said
that because the slide did not have proper support when installed, it has sagged and cracked. It has
been locked off as a safety measure. The slide was purchased and installed by Creative Recreation in
West Hartford. It was not clear when it would be repaired.