DALTON, Mass. — The Finance Committee approved an amended version of the Police Department budget.

 

The amended budget of $1,664,924 is $14,564 less than what was originally requested. This is still an increase of $129,668 increase from this year.

 

The budget is made up of $191,338 in expenses and $1,473,586 in salaries. 

 

The department initially proposed a budget of $1,679,488, a $144,232 or 9.39 percent, increase mainly caused by salary increases.

 

Police Chief Deanna Strout emphasized that the increases within the budget are mostly contractual.  

 

Finance Committee chair William Drosehn said if "we all kind of tightened our belts even further," the budget could be cut by $15,000 or $20,000. 

 

However, he stressed that if more funds are needed, reserve fund transfer requests can be made if the need arises. 

 

"Considering the cuts we've made in budgets over this year, I anticipate a larger use of free cash in 2026 and I don't know whether we should increase that number at this point, or if we should just leave it the same," Drosehn said. 

 

"And then if in the middle of the fiscal year, we come up against a time that we have exhausted the reserve fund, we would go to a special town meeting, and at the special town meeting we would be able to replenish that, and generally that comes out of the the general stabilization." 

 

Strout had initially budgeted for two 30-day backfills for maternity leave of officers, $12,326 each and two shift differentials for maternity leave officer backfill at 11 percent for $603 and another officer backfill at 12 percent for $658.

 

Strout explained that although the officers pay is already budgeted for, the department needs to also budget for coverage, which is where this funding comes in. 

 

Strout agreed that the department can cut one of the budgeted 30 day backfills, $12,326, and the officer backfill at 12 percent, $658, with the intention to return for a reserve fund transfer if the need arises. 

 

Dalton has a "very young department" some of which are newly married or getting married, Strout said. 

 

It is difficult to accurately budget for maternity leave because it is unclear if her officers will need it, she said. 

 

Strout emphasized that it would be wildly inappropriate for her to ask her officers if they intend on having babies this year. 

 

She also agreed to reduce the court coverage budget line item by another $1,580. In fiscal year 2025, Strout budgeted for $7,023. This year she reduced this amount to $4,214 because it was not being expended.

 

During last week's meeting, she agreed to decrease it a little more bring it to $2,634. 

 

Strout explained that the department is budgeted for court coverage based on an average overtime rate, as different officers might take shifts at different pay levels.

 

She noted that officers had been subpoenaed 55 times so far this year, meaning 30 shifts had to be covered, and there is almost three months remaining in the fiscal year.

 

The chief said she works "exceptionally hard" with these budgets to mitigate costs, going through it with a "fine tooth comb" and diligently reviews the monthly expenses reports. 

 

For example, although she is not in favor of online training, noting that in-person training is more effective, she opts for it when it is available to save money. 

 

However, this may not be an option for much longer, and officers may have to receive in-person training in Holyoke because of a recent scandal involving online training with the Municipal Police Training Committee.

 

She stated that while she loves community policing initiatives like the DARE program, comfort dog, and crossing guard, if further budget cuts are necessary, they would have to come from those areas.

 

"We can cut all of that, it'll meet your $20,000 but that's up to you guys to say that, because that's what I'm going to cut," Strout said. 

 

"If I have to cut $20,000 that's where it's coming from, because I have to provide police services first."

 

Several committee members acknowledged the work Strout and her department have done to mitigate costs and thanked her for her efforts. 

 

Drosehn clarified that the committee's decision at the previous meeting to not approve the police budget was not on effort to defund the police.

 

He was not anticipating the negative vote at the previous meeting and highlighted that the decision came after after a nearly a 2 1/2-hour meeting, he said. 

 

Everyone was "fried" so the decision allowed time for the committee to digest the budget and determine if there are ways to make further reduction, he said.