As I write this column, it’s the morning after Granby voters approved the FY26 budget.
A direct budget vote on the operation of our town is democracy in action and an important act in the self-governance of our community. Of the more than 8,500 registered voters in Granby, 1,126 exercised their voting privilege.
Here are 15 Town of Granby Things that may be of interest to you—in no order.
- With the budget approved, one additional patrol officer will be hired with the goal of providing additional supervision on the evening and overnight shifts, as well as providing additional officer safety through increased staffing.
- With the budget approved, a school resource officer program will be created with the goal of selecting and training an officer to be deployed in the schools.
- With little more than 60 days left in the FY25 fiscal year, the town finance office will begin the process of closing the year in the black by June 30 to prepare the financial records for external auditors, who will issue their audit report in the fall.
- As soon as one fiscal year closes, the next fiscal year, in this case FY26, opens. That means the finance office creates new purchase orders and sets up the accounting system to track the new fiscal year transactions.
- In the assessor’s office, the Oct. 1, 2024 grand list is finalized, exemption programs are processed, and with the mill rate set by the budget vote, a file is transmitted to the tax office, so tax bills for July 1, 2025 can be calculated, printed and mailed.
- Annual plans are being compiled by each town department head detailing their plans for the new funding that voters provided. Like 2024, once I receive those plans from each department, I will share a consolidated version with the board of selectmen and community.
- The emergency radio communications project continues with a focus on purchasing 229 Mountain Road and planning for a new police department dispatch center.
- The Salmon Brook and Ahrens Park study is underway. Have you participated in the GZA public meeting or taken its online survey?
- We have a new town clerk and her name is Jen Espinal. The next time you are in town hall, I invite you to stop in to welcome Jen.
- Preliminary discussions on the need to expand the library are occurring. Please visit the town website to see what is planned as the town discusses if an expansion should move forward and, if so, at what amount and when?
- Congratulations to Mark Neumann who was tapped by the board of selectmen to chair the America 250 Granby Planning Committee. As America turns 250 next July 4th, Neumann and a small group of committee members will decide how Granby will celebrate that occasion.
- Meetings between the Town of Granby, including Selectmen Kelly Rome and Fred Moffa, and Granby Ambulance Association will begin with the hope of arriving at a sustainable annual town contribution to GAA.
- The business case for keeping the United Methodist Church building as an expansion of Holcomb Farm will come before the board of selectmen in the coming months. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
- Kearns School Senior Housing planning is progressing with First Selectman Mark Fiorentino providing an update to the commission on aging in May.
- Town resident Kendra Green has been hired in the tax office. If you are in town hall, please stop in and say “Hello” Kendra—or Pat and Lauren for that matter!
If you have questions for me, please contact me at 860-844-5302, or MWalsh@Granby-ct.gov As always, thank you for making Granby the special place that it is!