Change in System Stymies Town

By Susan MacEachron
The town’s ongoing struggle to manage a new financial accounting system, the higher than estimated bids for construction of the new firehouse and interim financing for the reconstruction of three bridges were topics addressed by First Selectman Matt Riiska at the Sept. 9 Board of Finance (BoF) meeting.

Riiska reported that the town’s monthly financial report was still incomplete, two months into the current fiscal year. He described the transition to QuickBooks as a “big headache.” In a follow-up conversation, Riiska explained that the town had used Alden, Novac & Dodd for over 20 years to handle its financial accounting needs. When the firm ceased doing business, the town’s auditor, George Sinnamon, recommended adoption of QuickBooks, an online accounting software system used by many organizations. Norfolk is now on its third outside firm to assist with the transition. A local staff person with SBS Accounting Services is working with administrators in the Office of the First Selectman to get them comfortable with QuickBooks. He said the town has decided to contract with DataPay Payroll Services to handle the payroll because QuickBook’s payroll functionality was hard to navigate.

Riiska walked the BoF through the current state of funding for the new firehouse and previewed the potential need for voters to approve additional borrowing at a special town meeting, Norfolk residents authorized the town to borrow $3.5 million at a May 2025 town meeting, but Riiska advised the BoF that it would be prudent to get approval to increase the authorized debt amount to $4 million. Initial bids put the estimated cost of the firehouse at $11.4 million—significantly higher than the original estimate of $9.3 million—and even with design changes the cost is around $10 million. On a positive note, Riiska said that U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes had secured $500,000 in federal funding for the firehouse.

Adding to Riiska’s financial headaches is the complexity of reconciling payments Norfolk has made for the River Place bridge with its reimbursements so that the town can close out the two loans from NBT Bank. He told the BoF that he is getting close to resolving any discrepancies and wants the matter settled before he leaves office in November. He also continues to grapple with finalizing payment from Federated Insurance for the costs incurred by the town in managing the gasoline spill on Route 44.

Riiska said that Union Savings Bank has suggested that Norfolk obtain a line of credit to finance the upcoming work on three bridges: the Old Goshen Road and Smith Road bridges that were washed out in the 2023 flooding and the Mountain Road bridge over Spaulding Brook. The State of Connecticut will pay
100 percent of the cost to rebuild all three bridges, but the town must pay the ongoing bills and then seek reimbursement from the state. BoF members suggested that a special meeting be convened to hear proposals from Union Savings Bank and that other financial institutions should also have an opportunity to present proposals