Goshen Board of Finance: Contingency Funds Balance the Town Budget; Surprise Remediation Cost in Pie Hill Road Work

9/23/26 7:30 p.m.

Present: Vice Chairman Scott Tillmann, James Korner, Paul Collins, Robert Layer, alternates Patrick Reilly and Ashley Hall Daddona. First Selectman Seth Breakell.

Excused absences: Chairman Edward “Ned” Bixler, Lorraine Lucas.

The Goshen Board of Finance (BOF) agreed to move $19,186 from the Town’s $40,000 contingency fund to offset expenses that were over budget at the end of the Fiscal Year. This was among several moves taken during the regular BOF meeting in September.

“The items that were over budget at the end of the year are the ones that are listed here. And so that comes to a total of $19,186,” Board member Paul Collins said. “So, what we do is we take from the contingency fund that we have in the balance, the $40,000, and we'll move the $19,186 into each of those spots so that they end up at a zero balance at the end of the year.”

The money moved from the contingency fund included $7,413.83 for Professional Services; $5,223.12 for the Town Office Building; and an added $1,598.47 for the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA); $1,241.39 for insurance; and $1,049.02 for the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission (IWWC).

Rounding out the funds that needed a boost were $915.79 for the Board of Selectmen (BOS); $738.42 for Welfare; $625.07 for the Town Building Official; $342.24 for Land Use Enforcement; and $38.65 for the BOF.

“The items that were under budget, the money rolls back into the General Fund,” Collins said. “So, there's no action that we have to take for that. So that gives us then a balanced budget.”

The Board unanimously approved use of the contingency funds after a motion by Collins and a second by Robert Layer. First Selectman Seth Breakell reported a notable increase in the cost for electricity at the Town Hall. He said he will review the sales agreement for electricity report from the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) and return to the BOF with more details.

“I'm just going to double check that,” Breakell said. The First Selectman also reported on the “unexpected cost” of remediation necessary as part of the major road repair of Pie Hill Road. He received information from Public Works Supervisor Garret Harlow on the matter.

The extra expense was $33,462.25, including aggregate and rental of a large excavator, and additional overtime for crews will not be covered, Breakell said. He suggested the BOF look at using contingency or other means to offset that cost instead of expending the major road repair line item.

Tillmann said, “I think we've got to put it someplace right now. Between that and the administration wages, that's upside down.”

“There's no other line item in Public Works where that $33,000 can come out of, right?” James Korner asked. “I'm just trying to find that 30 grand.”

Breakell said, “I’ll look into it further.”

The First Selectman also reported the Town received $7,837 via a Supplemental Municipal Assistance grant from the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. The funds will be reported under the Selectmen budget under General Government, then the Community Development line item, he said.

“You’re only allowed to put it in certain categories,” Breakell said. “This is a one-time deal. For community development, I'm going to pay for some of this Fall Festival stuff with it. “There's nothing in our budget anywhere (for that),” he said.

The Board agreed to appropriate the grant money after a motion by Patrick Reilly, a second by Korner, and a unanimous vote in favor.

Also at the meeting, the Financial Report was reviewed with little discussion. No vote was taken. The Tax Collector report was reviewed with minimal dialogue, as well.

Then Layer moved to approve the report, and the motion unanimously carried after a second by Collins. “That one seems to be in line with last year's,” Tillmann said.