FARMINGTON — The new police station and salary increases for town employees may be two items that raise the town’s budget for 2012.

Selectmen met with town department heads Tuesday for a preliminary look at their budget requests.

No action was necessary; the session was only for a quick first review, Chairman Stephan Bunker said.

The Budget Committee will start its review of budget requests on Jan. 11, then the budget goes back to the board before going to voters at the annual town meeting in March.

The department’s budget requests, as presented to the board Tuesday, represented a total of $4.23 million, an increase of about $255,000 or 6.24 percent, Town Manager Richard Davis told the board. Adding in debt service increases and outside agency requests brings the total to $4.77 million or a 6.81 increase, about $304,000 over last year’s budget, he said.

Preparing to move into the new police station on Franklin Avenue in February, police Chief Jack Peck found more than just renovations to include in his budget.

The building formerly used by a physicians practice was a gift from Franklin Memorial Hospital but needed renovations to prepare it for the police department. The $490,000 approved for renovations will increase the town’s debt service by more than $39,000, Davis said.

The new station will also require upgrades to the water system and electricity and some routine maintenance, for which he added $16,000 based on the previous owner’s use, Peck explained to the board.

The largest items included in the department budget though are the previously negotiated increased personnel service costs, up 8.6 percent or about $74,000, and a request for $75,000 to build a garage for the department.

Salary raises, based on the Consumer Price Index, will give all town employees a 3 percent raise for the coming year, which caused the largest increase in budget requests for most departments.

The Public Works Department’s intent to use $140,000 in Urban Renewal Initiative Program funds for work on Front Street means putting off a rebuild of Voter Hill till next year, Davis said.

Selectman Ryan Morgan questioned whether more should be added to the department’s reserve account since the conditions of roads is the one thing he hears about most from residents, he said.

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