Board of Finance Weighs Funding For Fire & Other Key Services

Southington Fire Department's Engine Company No. 5 PETER PROHASKA PHOTOS

Family members were in attendance at Southington Town Hall on November 19 to witness the official beginning of a new term, leading Chairman John Leary to joke that the room was about as crowded as Board of Finance meetings ever get.

Yet even if it receives less attention than other elected bodies, the Board has serious responsibilities. Its members are responsible for approving various forms of spending and overseeing the management of Southington’s finances, including investments, audits, past due sewer bills and tax refunds. As Thursday’s meeting showed, it also has to consider matters of public safety and civic society. With state and federal funding in flux, proper management of Southington’s fiscal health remains an ongoing challenge.

The meeting commenced with an unusual procedural move. This month’s elections gave the Board three Republican members and three Democrats. Leary, a Republican and long-time member of the Board, proposed splitting the officers evenly over the term. For the first year, the three Republicans will serve as Chair, Vice-Chair (Joseph Labieniec) and Secretary (Ed Pocock, Jr.). Those roles will switch to duly-nominated Democrats half way through the two-year term of office.

Even though this was the first meeting of the term, the Board’s agenda was a busy one. Leary took time to explain many of the key functions of the Board for colleagues such as Democrats Stephen Salerno and Katie Wade, who are starting their first terms, and for members of the public, who can watch video of the meeting or view its minutes via the Town of Southington website.

Newly-elected Board member Steve Salerno receives a pin, welcoming him to his term.

Following that introduction, Republican Registrar of Voters Tammy Thompson came before the Board to describe issues that strained the resources of her office during the past election season. She said she had personally worked over 90 hours one week, despite receiving a yearly salary of just $23,000. She attributed much of this overtime work to mandates from Hartford around early voting, as well as the recount and state-required audits.

In response to her concerns, Leary scheduled a series of workshops to figure out how best to fund and support the staffers who make elections possible.

A second presentation, from Southington’s Interim Fire Chief Scott Lee, highlighted the difficulties of providing adequate emergency services coverage in a town that is growing in infrastructure and population. One major problem, Lee said, is that there hasn’t been an equal growth in the number of individuals willing to serve as volunteer firefighters, even with financial incentives put in place by the Town.

Like many Connecticut communities, Southington Fire Department relies on local volunteers to provide support for its professional, full-time staff. Lee, drawing on a 2025 report from Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon as well as his own data, showed that Southington’s volunteer pool has significantly diminished in recent years, jut as it has in many towns across the state. Lee described a 23 percent decline in volunteers around the nation and an even sharper 75 percent decline in Southington. Scanlon’s report calls the firefighting situation a “statewide crisis.”

Lee explained that the National Fire Protection Association develops staffing standards that are not always required by law but can serve as best practices for fire prevention. To meet those minimum coverage standards, and those recommended by the Town’s outside consultant, the Chief requested the Board of Finance support funding for several professional positions over the next two fiscal years. For FY 2026, Lee is hoping to hire and train three additional firefighters. For the next year, he also asked for an Inspector Firefighter, who can help with duties that include retention and recruitment. Lee is also seeking a Mechanic position for FY 2027, making the case that having an in-house mechanic would provide significant cost savings for needed equipment maintenance.

Lee mentioned that while attracting entry-level firefighters is feasible, as they gain in experience they are often lost to towns that are able to pay higher salaries or offer more enticing benefits.

One source of funding for staff is federal SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grants. These grants, which are administered by FEMA, have not gone to a Connecticut community since 2023, according to FEMA’s website. Southington received a SAFER grant of just over $1 million for hiring purposes back in FY 2020. But Southington did not receive requested funds this cycle, as Ed Costello, of Southington’s Board of Fire Commissioners, reported.

Speaking against increasing the firefighting budget was Southington resident Al Urso, who said he had been a volunteer himself. He came forward with criticisms of the Fire Department’s current deployment. In particular, he said a common shift structure — the so-called 24-72 shift, in which one is on call for 24 hours and then receives three days off — produces excess overtime and unnecessary coverage.

Urso contrasted Southington’s service needs with those of larger communities such as New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury, while noting that Newington, for one, made do with a smaller force.

“It’s ridiculous for a town this size to have a (24-72) shift,” said Urso. He encouraged the Board to take a look at station locations, types of calls, and shift structure before funding the positions.

Making the case for additional firefighters was volunteer fireman Andrew Rennie, who serves as Lieutenant for Engine Company One. He said he joined the Fire Department shortly after moving to Southington from Massachusetts and has embraced the work. However, he stressed, the risks of the calling are real; adequate staffing levels provide safety for the public and Department members alike.

“When we show up on the scene,” Rennie said, “Chief Lee wants us to be able to turn around and go back to our families.”

Those interested in serving the community are encouraged to contact the Fire Department.

The Board of Finance is scheduled to meet again on December 10.