Photo: Genevieve Reilly / Hearst Connecticut Media

The Fairfield Public Library system loans out more than just books and movies. At the Fairfield Woods Branch, patrons can find seeds for their garden.

The Fairfield Public Library system loans out more than just books and movies. At the Fairfield Woods Branch, patrons can find seeds for their garden.

Surplus funds could mean restored Fairfield library hours

FAIRFIELD Surplus funds will allow the towns libraries to fill vacancies and restore library hours that have been cut, according to the first selectman.

But some Board of Finance members Tuesday night wondered where that money was coming from since it had not yet received documentation on unspent but budgeted funds. The finance board typically approves a list of funds to be carried over from the prior fiscal year, and spent in the current fiscal year.

Fiscal Officer Robert Mayer said there is about $1.4 million in surplus money from the last fiscal year. Chairman Thomas Flynn asked how much of that departments have asked to carry over to spend on budgeted items.

The carry overs arent much at all, Mayer said, adding that the town will focus on using that money to make up for any state revenue it ends up not receiving.

Theres a press release from the first selectman talking about the library, finance board member James Walsh said. We know nothing about any of these numbers.

Library hours as of Aug. 14

Main library

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Thursday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Saturday 1-5 p.m.

Sunday closed until further notice

Fairfield Woods branch

Monday, Wednesday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Thursday,Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 1-5 p.m.

Sunday closed until further notice

Previous library hours

Main library:

Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sundays in the fall 1-4 p.m.

Fairfield Woods branch:

Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sundays in the fall 1 p.m. -4 p.m.

The Board of Finance is scheduled to meet again on Sept. 26, and vote on a list of proposed carry over expenditures.

On Aug. 31, Tetreau sent out a release where he announced 2017 is higher than anticipated due to strong fourth quarter results realized from expense holdbacks and controls, including a hiring freeze, a higher than budgeted tax collection rate, and strong fourth quarter investment returns and fee revenues.

Just a few weeks earlier, the town had announced reduced hours at both the main and branch library, in part due to questions about what state revenue will come Fairfields way once a state budget is finally adopted.

After reviewing the numbers, Tetreau said, he was pleased the town has surplus funds available that could be used to fill the open positions and reinstate library hours, although he said it will take time to fill those positions. Tetreau anticipated restoring the library hours sometime this fall.

Tetreau said the town still anticipates a loss of state revenue, but said the surplus could be used to supplement the new budget should the Board of Finance choose to carry forward the fiscal year 2017 surplus to the fiscal year 2018, which would serve to mitigate some of the loss of state revenue.

He said it is similar to last year when at Flynns suggestion, the finance board voted to carry forward a significant portion of the fiscal year 2016 into the fiscal year 2017, again to make up for the loss of state revenue.

The surplus funds could also be used to fill two vacancies at the Parks and Recreation Department, according to Tetreau.

The hiring freeze remains in effect for all other departments, and certain capital spending, such as paving, is still on hold.

Continued here:
Surplus funds could mean restored Fairfield library hours - Fairfield Citizen