City, schools hold joint budget hearing Sept. 29

NORWALK, Conn. — The City of Norwalk and Norwalk Public Schools want to hear from residents before they start building next year’s budget.

The two groups are holding their yearly Joint Budget Public Hearing on Tuesday, September 29, at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in person in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, and it will also be streamed on Zoom. People can find the Zoom link at norwalkct.portal.civicclerk.com.

The City Charter requires this hearing to happen every year before October 1. Its purpose is to let residents share ideas about the city’s Operating and Capital Budgets before officials start drafting them for the 2027-28 fiscal year. City leaders say hearing from the public early helps them understand what residents want funded and how to support those requests.

A panel of city and school officials will attend, including:

• Mayor Barbara Smyth
• Sandra Faioes, Interim Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools
• Josh Goldstein, City Council President
• Howard White, Chair of the Board of Education
• Johan Lopez, Finance and Claims Committee
• Sheri McCready-Pritchet, Finance Chair of the Board of Education
• Ed Abrams, Chair of the Board of Estimate and Taxation
• Tammy Langalis, Planning and Zoning Commission
• Jared Schmitt, Chief Financial Officer for the City of Norwalk
• Lunda Asmani, Chief Financial Officer for Norwalk Public Schools