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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-11-13TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 1 of 10 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING November 13, 2014 Present: Supervisor Mary Ann Sumner, Cl Gregory Sloan, Cl Joseph Solomon, Cl Jason Leifer, Absent: Cl Linda Lavine Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Other Town Staff: Jennifer Jones, Director of Recreation Jane Nicholson, Director of Planning Jennifer Case, Bookkeeper Supv Sumner opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. She announced that she would like to change the agenda and ask Jane Nicholson to present the special use permit information first. Because of the weather, if the board concurs, she would like to postpone discussion of the village police efficiency report and the Conservation Board resolutions. Randy Crispell was present to comment on the police efficiency report. He said he has the pleasure of paying village, town and county taxes and doesn’t think we need to pay for the monkey on our back twice. We don’t need to have the town responsible for paying for the village police department. Supv Sumner explained that one of the proposals in the recommendations is that the town form a police district. The report states that 10% of the village police calls are outside of the village. She said her sense is that if you expanded the size of the district, it will simply expand the area outside of which they respond. She doesn’t have any compelling reason to pursue a proposal for expanding police coverage, but the Mayor has asked that the board discuss it, and they should be familiar with the proposals. She added that public support for the department in the meetings has been very strong, despite the cost. Apparently they feel it is worth it. Cl Sloan arrived at 7:05 pm Jane Nicholson said she has two new projects and one outstanding. Incodema3D has submitted a landscape plan pursuant to their permit. She shared it with the board for review. The landscaping will be done by next August, likely in the spring. The fence will be a green color, and when they are ready to put it in they will let the department know. The old signage will be removed, the front landscaped, and a new sign will be on the building. She said they have done a good job. Where the bays are will be landscaped in between. They will be coming back to the board for an amendment to allow for storage and warehouse space. They are using about 40% of the building and would like to rent out storage space on the other side. That requires a special use permit. There will be no change to the site. She recommends that next week the board review this and schedule the public hearing for December. There is a new application by Michael Moore who is looking to build storage space on Route 13 three parcels down from the Xtra Mart. Cl Sloan said he is concerned with water levels on that lot. Applicant is proposing two 200’ by 60’ buildings, earth tones with orange doors, 121 units per building. Supv Sumner said she is concerned about the need for more TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 2 of 10 self storage. J Nicholson said applicant has explained that in the application. There is a pretty detailed landscaping plan for along the road. J Nicholson said Atty Perkins is working on the zoning changes right now, and she would like to add language for farm worker housing and farm signage. This came up at the Ag Committee meeting last night. The only other way to classify it is boarding house and that is not the same thing. There was no objection from the board. She would also like to amend the fee schedule to include installation/replacement of heating/ac/hvac systems. The $25 fee is the same as before. It will require a public hearing, which can be scheduled for December. Supv Sumner reviewed several budget modifications with the board. Highway has requested $6,000 from fund balance for mowing at the Crispell dam. There was no budget line for the Crispell Dam this year. Budget mods are needed to cover the salary for the Deputy DPW Superintendent and public works benefit time. RESOLUTION #158 (2014) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: From Acct To Acct Amount A599 Fund Balance A1490.1 Public Works Pers Ser 6,000.00 DA599 Fund Balance DA5130.2 Machinery/Equipment 73,000.00 A1990.4 Contingency A1490.1 Public Works Pers Ser 20,000.00 A1490.401 Blacktop A1490.111 Public Works Benefit Time 6,000.00 2nd Cl Sloan Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes To cover repair for damage to a truck: RESOLUTION #159 (2014) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: From Acct To Acct Amount DA 2680 Misc Insurance Recoveries DA5130.4 Machinery-Contractual 3,487.48 2nd Cl Sloan Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 3 of 10 Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes From street maintenance benefit time to street maintenance personal service. RESOLUTION #160 (2014) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: From Acct To Acct Amount DB 5110.111 St Maint Benefit Time DB 5110.1 St Main Pers Serv 2,300.00 2nd Cl Sloan Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes There are several budget mods moving funds to Miscellaneous Personal Services. R Case said that budget line covers wages for anyone not working on a bridge or piece of equipment, plowing snow or working on repairing a road. RESOLUTION #161 (2014) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: From Acct To Acct Amount DA 5120.1 Bridges Personal Ser DA 5140.1 Misc - Personal Serv 10,000.00 DA 5130.1 Machinery Personal Ser DA 5140.1 Misc - Personal Serv 15,000.00 DA 5120.4 Bridges Contractual DA 5140.1 Misc - Personal Serv 10,000.00 DA 5140.111 Misc PS Benefit DA 5140.1 Misc - Personal Serv 15,000.00 DB 5110.4 Maintenance Contractual DB 5110.1 St Maint Pers Serv 28,000.00 2nd Cl Sloan Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes Supv Sumner said the annual bill allows for a discount if paid early and there is a voucher for the payment in the abstract. Some budget lines were under budgeted this year and budget mods are necessary. RESOLUTION #162 (2014) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 4 of 10 Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: From Acct To Acct Amount A 8020.102 GIS Technician A 9010.8 Retirement 11,185.00 B 1990.4 Contingency B 9010.8 Retirement 2,667.00 DA 9060.8 Medical Insurance DA 9010.8 Retirement 6,409.00 DB 9060.8 Medical Insurance B 9010.8 Retirement 15,000.00 DB 5110.4 Maintenance Contractual DB 9010.8 Retirement 6,409.00 2nd Cl Sloan Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes Supv Sumner reminded the board that for two years she has been negotiating with the Town of Ithaca about the transportation of wastewater through the Town of Ithaca from Sapsucker Woods to Cayuga Heights wastewater treatment plant, and from Peregrine Way Sewer District to the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Plant. This has not been billed or paid since 1997. She asked for a budget mod from fund balance for each of the districts to the treatment and disposal line lines to pay the arrears. The check will be held until a new written agreement is in place. She added that the reason she was able to negotiate thi s was because we had far better records back through 1978 when the first agreement was made than the Town of Ithaca. Otherwise, it could have cost a lot more. RESOLUTION #163 (2014) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: From Acct To Acct Amount SS1-599 Fund Balance SS1-8130.4 Trtmt/Disp Contractual 26,831.00 SS6-599 Fund Balance SS6-8130.4 Trtmt/Disp Contractual 5,815.00 2nd Cl Solomon Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes 2015 Budget Supv Sumner has the preliminary budget exactly as published with the exception of adding lines for the new Yellow Barn Water District. (They broke ground on this project on Monday.) Supv Sumner is recommending the following changes after the public hearing: TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 5 of 10 o Increase of $5,000 for youth services (from fund balance) o Increase of $6,000 for community grants (from fund balance) o Add a $25,000 contingency in the fire district - may be used for an unexpected need and if not used, it will help to restore the fund balance. RESOLUTION #164 (2014) – ADD FUNDS TO 2015 BUDGET – YOUTH SERVICES Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby amends the 2015 preliminary budget by adding $5,000 to A7310 Youth Services to be covered by fund balance. 2nd Cl Sloan Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes With respect to the community grants program, Cl Leifer would like it coupled with a stipulation that the DRYC review program prior to launching the 2015 application process and perhaps put it in contingency. Supv Sumner said the mod could be contingent on rev iew of the guidelines and clarification of the goals of the program by the DRYC and presentation of those at the February meeting. Cl Sloan said one of the programs addressed at the public hearing was the Southworth Library’s summer program. He is in favor of giving funding to the programs the board thinks should be continued based on past success. We could allocate $1000 to the library and be done with it. J Jones said it is not too late to set goals and objectives and it can be restricted to one application per organization. Cl Leifer would like to hold the funding in contingency and request that the DRYC give the board a clearer policy governing the program by February. Supv Sumner pointed out that the board has final approval of the grant awards. RESOLUTION #165 (2014) - ADD FUNDS TO 2015 BUDGET – COMMUNITY GRANTS Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby amends the 2015 preliminary budget by adding $6,000 to A1630.4 Community Grants to be covered by fund balance. 2nd Cl Sloan Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes With respect to $25,000 for the fire district budget, Cl Sloan asked about the request from the Etna Fire Department. Supv Sumner reviewed the increases in the Etna budget for the training facility, bathrooms, and chief’s budget for equipment and radios. The Board reviewed the budget request and the 2013 budget and actuals. Cl Sloan had suggested increasing this budget by $10,000 and we are now looking at $25,000. Supv Sumner said if the $25,000 is in contingency, it won’t necessarily be appropriated. With respect to Etna’s request, the amount allocated for them is $11,000 over last year, and that is a reasonable increase. Two departments reduced their requests substantially. She added that no department ever spends their entire appropriation and the excess goes to their reserves. TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 6 of 10 Cl Sloan said increasing the fire budget by $25,000 decreases the board’s fl exibility in other spending areas. He is thinking of other uses for the $189,000 difference in the levy as it stands and the amount allowed under the tax levy cap. He could part with $10,000, but not $25,000. Supv Sumner said the tax levy cap is not the driving force in our budget. It is a reasonable levy and tax rate and as little as possi ble reliance on fund balance. The levy cap doesn’t cap anyone’s taxes. If we increase the levy by $189,000, people’s taxes would go to $1.62. That seems irresponsible to her, and contrary to everything the board agreed on to this point. Cl Sloan said that he is opposed to spending out of fund balance. The money will come out of taxpayers now or it will come out of the savings account they’ve already got. He pref ers to leave the savings account alone. Supv Sumner said that would result in an 18% increase and seems so wrong to her. Cl Leifer said we need to stop spending the fund balance. Supv Sumner said we are using less fund balance every year. The fire district fund balance is separate from other fund balances. It is now at 8% of appropriations, much lower than our target, so that fund balance should be returned as much as possible. Cl Sloan said the tax levy cap is the total of all funds, and is the wall we are dealing with. Anything that affects that is an issue. Supv Sumner said the total tax levy cap imposed by the Governor’s program is one thing. We haven’t been concerned about it since it’s been in place, other than to vote to allo w ourselves to exceed it should that be necessary. We have never exceeded it. The reason we don’t use the full amount available is because we want to control the tax rate. We want to control what people are actually paying in taxes. Cl Leifer pointed out that if we keep using fund balance from A and B, then one day we won’t be able to do that. He has heard the same thing since he got on the board. Eventually we won’t be able to cover it. Supv Sumner said we have not used the fund balance appropriated in four of the last five years. If we use much less than we appropriate. One of the reasons we appropriate it is to avoid having everyone budget to the bare bones and have to make many, many budget modifications. That little bit of space in the system allows people to have choices. We have to use it to maintain a reasonable tax rate. We have allowed the tax rate to increase a little this year, but Supv Sumner thinks an 18% increase is too much. Cl Sloan said we will have to raise taxes eventually. If we don’t do something now, it will be ugly when that happens. Supv Sumner does not want to raise it by 18%. Cl Leifer said that it is not going up enough. Cl Sloan reviewed a proposal he previously shared with board members via email: I propose: - Aim for the cap, so add $189k to the budget, as follows: - Add $10k to Etna Fire Department - Add $5k to Youth Services - Add $1k to Southworth Library - for their summer program - Leave Comm. Grant program at zero. - Add $100k to Highway - and ask them where to put it - Use the remainder ($84k?) to reduce expenditures from TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 7 of 10 reserves or fund balances in the existing budget. Supv Sumner is not in favor appropriating $120,000 over the budget that was introduced to the public last week. Cl Sloan said the whole plan is predicated on going to the tax levy cap, and what does that get us, and what do we do with it. Cl Leifer said we could appropriate less fund balance. The appropriations for youth services made tonight would come out of fund balance. The $100,000 proposed for highway will be allocated by them, hopefully spent on road maintenance. Cl Sloan said he believes that budget will get us into trouble this winter and he is not prepared for that. Cl Leifer said if the money is not spent it will go into unappropriated fund balance. Cl Sloan said we have gotten by on inadequate budgets in the past and we are now down to the bone. RESOLUTION #166 (2014) - ADD FUNDS TO 2015 BUDGET – FIRE DISTRICT Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby amends the 2015 preliminary budget by adding a $25,000 contingency line to the Fire Protection District budget. 2nd Cl Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan No Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes Cl Sloan and Cl Leifer would like to increase the highway budget by $100,000 to be allocated by the Highway Superintendent in the DA fund in time for a vote next week. Supv Sumner said that would increase the DA levy to $502,145 and the total A, DA levy to 1.4 million and the tax rate to about $1.60. Cl Sloan said next year it will be much harder to finesse this. In addition to the pressures of getting a budget done there is an election coming up. If we don’t do something now, we’ll have our backs against the wall and may be forced to go past the tax levy cap and that will look ugly. We can’t keep looking at the fund balance as a way to bail ourselves out and we’ll have to raise taxes, and he doesn’t want to do it explosively. Supv Sumner said she considers $1.60 high, and it’s happening after the public hearing. Cl Leifer said comments at the public hearing indicated people were concerned about keeping equipment and the roads in good shape. Supv Sumner said she respects eve ryone’s comments, but she thinks there is room in the highway budget for them to do everything they want to do. Cl Leifer said it takes money to maintain the roads and that was the point of the audit. They looked at 60 plus miles and came up with a high number 2.2 million that they thought should be spent. Supv Sumner said she understands it all, and thinks this town has the best roads in the county. Cl Leifer said he doesn’t think the people who came to the public hearing to speak against the cuts that had been made believed the funds came from a money tree. They know they are paying taxes for it, and they know that’s what they want the money spent on. The highway budget a few years ago was higher. This year’s proposed budget is the smallest proposed in six years. Historically this is appropriate. Highway has made it clear they need it and last week people were astounded we were going to do this. Increasing the budget is responding to what was heard at the public hearing. He wants to accomplish this without reliance on fund balance. TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 8 of 10 Cl Sloan said in the last five years 3.2 million dollars have been budgeted for the Highway Department every year except for last year, when it went to 2.7 million. That is a big difference. This year, with his request, it would put it at 3.06 million, s till the second smallest budget in the past six years. It’s hard to believe the cost of maintaining the roads has gone down since 2010, but we have been below that budget every year except for 2012. He doesn’t believe this is asking for anything outrageous. Historically it is appropriate and the Highway Department has made it clear they need this. People at the public hearing seemed to be in favor of it. Supv Sumner said it is too late to make this change and it is an incredible breach of public trust. Cl Leifer said it seems to be a breach of public trust to hold a public hearing and not listen to anybody. Cl Sloan said this is responding to what was heard at the public hearing. Supv Sumner said the reason she had not recommended any changes in D A is that she never heard a specific request. RESOLUTION #167 (2014) – ADD FUNDS TO HIGHWAY DA FUND Cl Sloan offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby amends the 2015 preliminary budget by adding $100,000 to the highway DA fund, the exact budget line(s) to be determined by the Highway Superintendent prior to next week’s meeting. 2nd Supv Sumner Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner No Cl Leifer Yes Cl Sloan proposed adding $64,000 to be used against some the appropriations made from fund balance. That would put us right at the tax levy. Supv Sumner suggested not getting too close to the cap because that is a moving target and not exactly cast in stone, perhaps a number within $8,000 of the limit. Cl Leifer said if we do a $.15 increase in the rate per year, it will get the rate to where it should probably be, about $1.76 in order to support the things residents want. Supv Sumner said she expected to get there by 2020 and wants to avoid a fluxuating tax rate. Cl Sloan wants to reduce the amount of fund balance used and he thought that was a goal of the board. Supv Sumner said you can’t simultaneously increase appropriations, decrease fund balance and maintain an affordable tax rate. Her priority is for the tax rate. Cl Sloan said this budget does do all those things simultaneously. With the changes proposed and reducing the amount of fund balance used by $64,000, the rate would be $1.67, 18% higher than last year. Reducing the amount of fund balance used to $588,000 would result in a rate of $1.66, a $.22 increase over last year. Of the $.22 increase, $.15 of the increase is attributed to highway and $.07 to reduced use of fund balance. RESOLUTION #168 (2014) – REDUCE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE USED IN 2015 BUDGET Cl Sloan offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 9 of 10 RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby amends the 2015 preliminary budget by reducing the amount of fund balance used to $588,000. 2nd Cl Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon No Supv Sumner No Cl Leifer Yes Motion fails. Tax rate will remain at $1.60. Supv Sumner said we cannot do this again next year. This is the third year of chaos just prior to when the budget needs to be passed. The board needs to study the budget in August and September and have a budget to present to the public in October. She doesn’t know why she didn’t have better participation from the highway department and other board members until today. She thought there was agreement on October 23. By law, she is the chief fiscal officer and by appointment of the Town Board the budget officer. She gets $4,000 additional salary as budget officer. Cl Sloan said he felt the decisions made were responsible. Supv Sumner disagrees. Cl Leifer said he met with all department heads, so to imply that board members didn’t do anything is incorrect. Supv Sumner would like to schedule monthly meetings starting in January of 2015 to develop the budget so we are not in this position again. Cl Sloan would not like to make any decision on this tonight. RESOLUTION #169 (2014) – MONTHLY BUDGET MEETINGS Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby establish monthly meetings beginning in January of 2015 for the purpose of developing the budget for the following year. 2nd Cl Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan No Cl Solomon Yes Cl Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #170 (2014) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #11 Cl Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #11, as audited, general vouchers #849 through #946 ($751,479.03), CD voucher #256 ($250.00), and TA vouchers #25 and #26 ($2,927.19), totaling $754,656.22. 2nd Cl Solomon Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes Cl Solomon Yes Cl Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes TB 11-13-14 D R A F T Page 10 of 10 With respect to changes to contributions toward health insurance premiums for part time elected officials, Supv Sumner said if that policy change is not made, we will be under budget. We’ll need to either make a change to the budget or make a policy change. Cl Leifer said the judges both oppose it. The suggested policy change is to increase employee contribution to individual health insurance coverage to 45% for part time elected officials, and we have budgeted accordingly. However, a policy change has not been passed by the board. The board revis ed the policy a few years ago, making part time employees eligible for benefits (working 20 hrs per week or more) and the pay town would pay 45% of their health insurance premiums. Supv Sumner said she doesn’t think part time elected officials should be different from part time employees. It was suggested to change the part time elected officials to be the same as part time employees effective July 1. There was some discussion about whether the benefits for the justices could be changed mid-term. The effect on the budget is $2700 per person. Cl Leifer will provide a proposed resolution for next week. Cl Leifer said the Supervisor should be classified as full time for this purpose, and Supv Sumner said she would appreciate that. Next week’s agenda: There is no need for a public hearing on the Bolton Point PIO DRYC has recommended the appointment of David Bravo-Cullen Change in ambulance rates Schedule public hearings for two site plan reviews Schedule public hearing for correction to building fee schedule Authorize Supervisor to sign agreement with the Village of Lansing for the Bolton Point Route 13 transmission line There being no further business, on motion made, seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned 9:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk