Dollars and sense: Making investments

ENFIELD —The Town Council recently adopted a budget and mill rate of 30.56. The council has worked hard to maintain services the community has come to count upon and make investments to improve them as well.

burdens on residential properties.

These and other projects we have in the funnel over the next several years are going to have a positive impact on grand list growth, which will be hugely beneficial to taxpayers.

Bob Cressotti

A lot of difficult decisions were made, including elimination of six town jobs. We will continue to analyze operations and services to ensure we are using every dollar wisely.

Some highlights from the new budget:

• The town and Board of Education are working to re-create the way we deliver education by reducing the number of elementary schools by three and modernizing the other three.

This will cut costs and eliminate transitions for kids in the future. Stay tuned for more information and eventual referendum on this modernization initiative.

• In terms of education, we need to move forward with ensuring that the staff has what it needs to continue to make progress in the post-pandemic world. The 3.96% increase is all fixed costs, inflation, and no new programs.

There are 30 staff vacancies and the board gave back $250,000 in insurance money.

• There are many economic development projects in the works – including potential redevelopment of MassMutual – that have the potential to reverse rising

• We have added significant capital items to improve the quality of life such as the new Summer Concert Series at Higgins Park every Tuesday starting June 13; the re-do of the Wallop School Park basketball court; infrastructure work to the sewers and Water Pollution Control facility, which is a $100,000,000 asset; 10 new police cruisers; updating AEDs for EMS and the upgrade to the Shaker Pines spillway.

• And lastly, the Town Council wants Enfield residents to be able to age in place, in their homes and near their families and community activities.

We also recognize that many of them are on fixed incomes, so the town voted to expand eligibility for the Senior and Elderly Tax Credit up to $60,000, as well as added a $400 Senior Volunteer Tax Credit.

These credits will be seen on the July 1, 2024, tax bill.

There are many opportunities to volunteer for the community by serving on a board or commission and help direct the policies and future decisions.

Please visit the town website or call the town manager’s office at 860-253-6350 to see where your time and talent may be put to good use.

The Eppendorf Group recently held a grand opening for its new distribution center at 113 N. Maple St. in Enfield. The German-based company, which manufactures and sells laboratory equipment and services for scientific research worldwide, has been part of the Enfield business community for nearly 20 years. At the ribbon-cutting for the new facility, from left: Bob DeClerk, CEO of USA Scientific; Dennis Barger, president of Eppendorf North America; Alexandra Daum, commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development; Adam Winstanley, commercial real estate developer; Eva van Pelt, co-CEO and chief commercial officer, Eppendorf Group; Robert Cressotti, Enfield mayor; Alexander Gerristen, senior VP global supply chain; Matt Brosnan, VP of commercial support and logistics, Eppendorf Group.

Eppendorf Group photo