The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2000-10-23 { ! I I _ r i a i� I i,. 31 1 .1 ,l1t .,�i.1 ' s, � .w . 1263 1 Public Hearing Minutes Preliminary Budget - 2001 October 23 , 2000 TOWN OF DANBY PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES PRELIMINARY BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2001 OCTOBER 23 , 2000 PRESENT : Supervisor Edward Inman • Councilpersons : Joel Gagnon, Norbert Nolte , Naomi Strichartz, Gladys Varona-Lacey Others Present : William Hall - Highway Superintendent Carol Sczepanski - Town Clerk Dan Higgins - Ithaca Journal Members of the Public : Roy and Mary Casterline, Eileen Wright, Pat Woodworth, Julia Mastroberti, Howard Steiner, Ken Horst and others Public Hearing Declared Open : Supervisor Inman declared the public hearing open at 7 : 03 p . m . and read the following "Notice of Publication" : "NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Town of Danby Preliminary Budget for the Fiscal Year 2001 has been completed and filed in the Office of the Town Clerk at 1830 Danby Road, Town of Danby, County of Tompkins , Ithaca, New York where it is available for inspection during regular office hours, Tuesday - Friday 9 : 00 a.m. to 4 : 00 p .m . , Saturday 9 : 00 a. m . to 12 : 00 noon. FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN , that the Town Board will meet and review said Prelimin . ry Budget and hold a public hearing thereon at the Town of Danby Town Hall, 1830 Danby Road, Ithaca, New York, County of Tompkins at 7 : 00 p . m. on the 23rd day of October, 2000 , Citizens attending the hearing have the right to provide written and/or oral comment and ask questions concerning the entire budget . Pursuant to Section 108 of the Town Law that the following are the proposed yearly salaries of the elected Town Officials for the Town of Danby . Supervisor $ 10 , 927 Town Clerk/Tax Collector $ 15 ,450 Highway Superintendent $ 36 ,600 Town Justices (2) each $ 5 , 100 Town Councilpersons (4) each $ 2 ,000 Carol W . Sczepanski • Town Clerk Dated : October 13 , 2000 Published : October 17 , 2000 " Public Comment: Howard Steiner - 1050 Coddington Road - commented on an article published in the Journal regarding increase in the budget. He said that the article was incorrect in its description of the increase and stated that budget workshops must be advertised . Mr . Steiner made many suggestions that would reduce the budget and pointed out areas where he believes the items in the budget may be in error or could be adjusted to reduce the budget . He submitted his statements to the Clerk to file . Ken Horst - Meadow Wood Terrace - reported that he checked back on the State Aid Mortgage Tax c 1 2 4 2 Public Hearing Minutes Preliminary Budget - 2001 October 23 , 2000 for 1998 and 1999 . He said he thinks the Town should anticipate that the Town will receive the same amount if not more for the year 2000 . He also reported that there was a large increase in account A8010 . 100 Personnel Account. If this position warrants a full time position in addition to a half time person then that office should be open every day . He is not in favor of the staff working at home . Supervisor Inman said that the Town will work with the Code Enforcement personnel to set up regular hours that are at least compatible with the Town Clerk hours . Highway Superintendent William Hall reported that he would like to see the same increase in salary extended to the clerical office help at the Highway Department as she is grossly underpaid for the responsibility of that position. Julia Mastroberti - Comfort Road - asked if the Town is awarded a grant would we still taxed for that project and will the Town have more money for projects next year . Councilperson Strichartz reported to the public that the Code Enforcement Office did a variety of other things other than just code enforcement and do their own secretarial work. Public Hearing Declared Closed : Supervisor Inman declared the public hearing closed at 7 : 30 p . m . Carol W . Sczep % i , Town Clerk phm-bgt . 01 S r I ' t ' I I t E r I w al it p 41 I 11 , 1265 1 Town Board Minutes Special Meeting October 23 , 2000 TOWN OF DANBY SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES PRELIMINARY BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2001 OCTOBER 23 , 2000 PRESENT : Supervisor Edward Inman Councilpersons : Joel Gagnon, Norbert Nolte, Naomi Strichartz, Gladys Varona-Lacey • Others Present : William Hall - Highway Superintendent Carol Sczepanski - Town Clerk Dan Higgins - Ithaca Journal Members of the Public : Roy and Mary Casterline, Eileen Wright, Pat Woodworth, Julia Mastroberti, Howard Steiner, Ken Horst and others Following a public hearing for the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2001 Supervisor Inman called the Special Meeting of the Board to order at 7 : 30 p . m . Discussion on the Preliminary Budget : Councilperson Strichartz explained the increase in the Code Enforcement Department. She reported that the Code Enforcement Officer and the Office Assistant/Building Inspector do their own secretarial work. The department now has one and one-half positions . Advertising Question of Workshop Meetings of the Board : Councilperson Gagnon reported that a point was made on the question of advertising the budget workshops and believes that under the Freedom of Information Laws they should be advertised . The Town Clerk reported that the budget workshops were posted as required and that attempts were made to advertise as much as practical . The same notice requirement applies for workshops as for other meetings . The Board reviewed the Preliminary Budget in an effort to reduce the tax to be raised by taxes . Items Reviewed : 1 ) Mortgage Tax Revenue 2) Unappropriated Fund Balance and effect on amount to be raised by taxes 3 ) Town Hall Contractual - increase to $ 16, 000 . 00 4) Salaries of all employees 5 ) Request for increase for highway department secretary of 4- 1 /4 per cent Councilperson Strichartz proposed reducing the salaries for Councilpersons Councilperson Gagnon objected to any change in salaries of Councilpersons Councilperson Strichartz said that it would be great if we could afford to make additional increases in salaries but it would result in a tax hike . There are people who are living on fixed incomes in this town and cannot afford any increase in their taxes . The salaries should stand as proposed . It was proposed by Councilperson Gagnon that all Town employees salaries in the General Fund be increased by 4- 1 /2 percent over the 2000 budget with the funds being moved from A1220 . 400 and the personal services salaries in the Water District be funds moved from the SW8320 . 400 . Councilperson Nolte said that he thinks that the 4- 1 /2 per cent increase be limited to the Highway Department Union employees as negotiated by CSEA . 12 . 6: 6 2 Town Board Minutes Special Meeting October 23 , 2000 Motion to Pass Budget as Amended - No Action - (No second or vote on the motion) A motion was made by Councilperson Strichartz to pass the Preliminary Budget as amended tonight with an increase in the A1620 . 400 to $ 16 , 000 . 00 . Discussion on Salaries for Councilpersons Councilpersons Nolte, Varona-Lacey, and Strichartz stated that they could not justify a 15 % raise in salaries . Motion to Set Councilperson Salaries at $ 7 ,200.00 A motion was made by Councilperson Nolte and seconded by Councilperson Strichartz that the Town Board of the Town of Danby set the salaries of Town Councilpersons at $ 7 ,200 . 00 ($ 1 , 800 . 00 each) . A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows : Four (4) Ayes - One ( 1 ) Nay Gagnon Nay Nolte Aye Strichartz Aye Varona-Lacey Aye Inman Aye Carried Motion to Adopt the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget as Amended A motion was made by Councilperson Strichartz and seconded by Gladys Varona-Lacey to adopt the Town of Danby Fiscal Year 2001 Budget as amended . Discussion : Councilperson Gagnon said that there was a question of an error in the State Aid . Supervisor Inman said that Account DA3501 (CHIPS) is in error and should be $ 100 , 000 . 00 . Councilperson Varona-Lacey said this budget should be checked again before it is adopted . Councilperson Strichartz withdrew her motion to adopt the Preliminary Budget until after the adjusted figures can be checked . Councilperson Varona-Lacey did not object . Motion to Schedule a Special Meeting A motion was made by Councilperson Nolte and seconded by Councilperson Strichartz to schedule a Special Meeting of the Board for Monday, October 30, 2000 at 7 : 00 p . m. to finalize the Preliminary Budget . A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows : Gagnon Aye Nolte Aye Strichartz Aye Varona-Lacey Aye Inman Aye Carried Unanimously Land Purchase Offer Supervisor Inman reported that the Town has received the final Land Purchase Offer for additional property for the Highway Department. The " Seller" is requesting the Town of Danby to pay the filing fees for filing of the deed. Authorization for Supervisor the Pay Fees for Land Purchase - Highway Department A motion was made by Councilperson Gagnon and seconded by Councilperson Strichartz that the Town Board of the Town of Danby authorizes Supervisor Inman to negotiate with Autosalvage, Inc . a purchase offer for the purchase of land for the highway department and approves the expenditures for the for the land purchase excluding the " Seller" legal fees . , N 1 1 I 1 � i I 1 � 1 !� ( ' 11 14 I � I � � 41 C �' a i .1 a ' I �•I p : . r . I i ' II 1 { I [ I' A, ill. Iu ._.,s z . 1267 3 Town Board Minutes Special Meeting October 23 , 2000 Discussion : The expenses for the land purchase do not include the " Seller" legal fees . A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows : Gagnon Aye Nolte Aye • Strichartz Aye Varona-Lacey Aye Inman Aye Carried Unanimously ADJOURNMENT : On a motion the meeting adjourned at 9 : 15 p . m . u/ ' ieputik . Carol W . Sczepan i Town Clerk spml0 -23 . 00 •