Farmington Debt Report
Farmington residents voiced significant concerns about the town’s growing debt at the February 25, 2025 Town Council meeting. Tim Kelly, a resident of 62 Westview, strongly emphasized that Farmingtonās annual debt service payments are projected to exceed neighboring towns, including larger municipalities like Glastonbury. He pointed out that Farmingtonās debt payments would even surpass the combined debt service of nearby towns such as Simsbury, Avon, Canton, and Burlington. Kelly stressed that Farmingtonās current debt levels breach the townās own policy of keeping debt-to-budget ratios below 10% for multiple years into the future.
š Key Quote: “Any potential capital plan priorities need to be informed by the townās current committed debt level.” ā Tim Kelly
The Farmington Town Council, led by Town Manager Kathleen Blonsky, outlined the proposed seven-year Capital Improvement Plan totaling $89.5 million. Significant projects within the plan include:
- š§ $1 million HVAC overhaul at the Farmington Highway Garage.
- š¢ $2.65 million renovation for HVAC and roof replacements at the Community Senior Center.
Kathleen Blonsky addressed the challenge of adhering to the councilās initial 3% budget increase target, pointing out it would mean reducing town services or cutting staffing. “You’re not going to like the 3.5% either,” Blonsky said, signaling that even slightly exceeding the original target would involve considerable trade-offs in services.
There was also humorous banter at the meeting around ongoing capital projects, particularly highlighting the remarks by Russ Arnold (Director of Public Works) about equipment needs and replacements, which brought some levity to an otherwise serious discussion.
Council members generally concurred with the town managerās assessment, understanding that maintaining current service levels without significant disruptions would require flexibility in the budget.
š Upcoming Meeting: Next public hearing is scheduled for March 11, 2025.
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ā Jack Beckett
Senior Writer & Coffee Enthusiast at The Farmington Mercury.
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