Human services director outlines modest FY27 budget shifts; board asks for 10% reduction scenarios

Kenan McMahon, Norwalk’s director of human services, told the Board of Estimate and Taxation on March 5 that the division’s FY27 request contains modest net movement across non-wage line items and no headcount increases. McMahon said the early childhood category requested a $300 increase across non-wage lines, fair rent requested no non-wage increases, and human services non-wage lines show a $1,500 decrease tied to reclassification of membership, training and IT software costs.

The presentation focused on accounting shifts rather than new positions; McMahon said the division totals 18 staff and described that one administrative assistant’s salary is charged to the fair rent line even though she serves the broader department. Board members asked staff to provide a clearer headcount-by-program breakdown and requested a calculated multiplier for fully loaded personnel costs (salary plus benefits and overhead) so the board could understand the true dollar impact of each posted position.

Chair Adams reminded department heads that the board has asked every citywide department to return a plan that reduces their total budget by 10%, with a clear explanation of risks and service impacts. McMahon said staff will perform the exercise and identify where cuts would create service gaps, and David Wolecek, youth services director, noted the division uses roughly $95,000 in state DCF grants and about $62,000 in other grant revenue to subsidize salaries and offset costs.

The board asked for the department’s line-by-line headcount detail and for the loaded-cost calculation to be provided before the next round of deliberations.