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Home My WebLink AboutTB 2025-11-06 attTB 11-6-2025 Page 1 of 7 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING November 6, 2025 Zoom Hybrid Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Leonardo Vargas- Mendez, Cl Christina Dravis Absent: Cl Spring Buck Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Rick Young, Highway/DPW Superintendent Other Town Staff: *Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to the Supervisor Amanda Anderson, Bookkeeper *Indicates attendance via Zoom Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:11 p.m. This meeting is for the public hearings on the 2026 budget and some other business. PUBLIC HEARING 2026 BUDGET, SPECIAL DISTRICT BUDGETS FIRE AND AMBULANCE CONTRACTS Supv Leifer opened the public hearing at 6:12 p.m. He said the town would be under the tax levy cap this year with an allowable growth factor of 1.02. The allowable levy limit is 10,584,424 and the preliminary budget presented is $10,375,088. The public hearing was left open while other business continued. Highway Superintendent Rick Young has requested approvals for sale purchase of equipment. He would like to purchase a new 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD with a workbox on the back for use in the water and sewer districts so they can carry the usual tools necessary. It can also haul machinery necessary to make repairs. He will trade the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and use funds not to exceed $50,000.00 from A1490.2. RESOLUTION #175 (2025) – AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF 2025 CHEVROLET SILVERADO Cl Dravis offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the purchase of a new 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD with a trade-in of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, resulting in a cost not to exceed $50,000 using funds from account A1490.2. 2nd Supv Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes R Young would like to sell truck #8, a 2014 Western Star Dump Truck with plow, wing, and sander (VIN 5KKAAVCY8EPFW9999) to the Town of Caroline for the sum of $50,000.00, with those funds to be returned to account DA5130.2. TB 11-6-2025 Page 2 of 7 RESOLUTION #176 (2025) – AUTHORIZE SALE OF WESTERN STAR PLOW TRUCK Cl Dravis offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the sale of a 2014 Western Star Dump Truck (VIN 5KKAAVCY8EPFW9999) with plow, wing, and sander to the Town of Caroline for the sum of $50,000.00, funds to be returned to account DA5130.2. 2nd Cl Vargas Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes R Young would like to purchase a 2025 Western Star 47X single axle cab using the Onondaga contract for an amount not to exceed $310,000.00. This is a turnkey truck. He needs it since he now has more roads to plow because of a change in personnel in Freeville. RESOLUTION #177 (2025) – AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF 2025 WESTERN STAR TRUCK Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the purchase of a 2025 Western Star 47X Single Axle Cab and Chassis at a cost not to exceed $310,000.00 per Onondaga Contract #0010914 with funds from DA5130.4. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Cl Dravis asked the board to consider adopting a resolution to proclaim November 9 through 15 Veterans Week in the Town of Dryden. There are green lightbulbs for distribution in the front lobby for those who wish to participate in Operation Greenlight . RESOLUTION #178 (2025) - Supporting Operation Green Light for Local Military Veterans Cl Dravis offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, residents across the Town of Dryden have great respect, admiration, and the utmost gratitude for all who have selflessly served their country and this community in the United States Armed Forces; and WHEREAS, the contributions and sacrifices of those who served in the Armed Forces have been, and continue to be, vital in maintaining the freedoms and way of life enjoyed by our citizens; and WHEREAS, approximately 200,000 service members transition to civilian communities annually, some of whom will call the Town of Dryden home, anywhere from months to decades, and become great contributing members to our community; and WHEREAS, while many among those transitioning service members are at high risk for suicide during their first year after military service, entities including the American Legion, Veterans of TB 11-6-2025 Page 3 of 7 Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, Team Red White Blue (RWB), Warrior Writers - Tompkins, Undergraduate Veterans Association of Cornell University, other community groups, and the Tompkins County Department of Veterans Services stand ready to help ease that transition and let them know they can find a community here in the Town of Dryden, and WHEREAS, Operation Greenlight is now a national effort to shine a green light symbolizing hope, renewal, and wellbeing on the service of Veterans while providing local governments, businesses, area institutions, and our residents the opportunity to let Veterans know that they are seen, appreciated, and supported, and WHEREAS, in honoring the service and sacrifice of our Veterans, Town of Dryden residents and businesses are called upon to switch at least one public-facing lightbulb to green to show visible support for our Veterans community during the second full week o f November and beyond, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Town Board proclaims, recognizes, and designates November 9 th- November 15th, 2025, as VETERANS WEEK in the Town of Dryden, in celebration of our community of Veterans, and further in observance of Operation Green Light, the Dryden Town Board encourages its community members in patriotic tradition to display a green light in a public-facing entry or window of their place of business or residence during Veterans Month and beyond with the hopes that, through this simple act of changing one light to green, we can honor those whose immeasurable sacrifice helped preserve our freedom. 2nd Cl Vargas-Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Cl Dravis thanked Rick Young for installing the Military Veteran parking signs in the town hall parking lots. Sidney Lee of the Cortland Standard asked if there were any difficulties putting the 2026 budget together and whether there were any significant increases or decreases. Supv Leifer said it was not particularly difficult. There will be some increases in health care premiums, but the town is changing health care plans to help offset salary increases. Material costs have increased. Capital projects are funded a little differently and the town has bond anticipation notes to help fund those, and the town is not yet making payments on the debt. Prices for some projects out for bid may be higher than originally anticipated. Funding for a grant writer was put in this year to assist with grant writing. The town increased funding for some of the local not-for-profits. Cl Lamb said this was average. Negotiations with the fire departments were smoother this year than in the past and the board is grateful to them for keeping their budget requests reasonable. The board looks at whether the levy increase is out of step wit h the consumer price index. There is nothing that should alarm the taxpayers. Supv Leifer closed the public hearings at 6:30 p.m. RESOLUTION #179 (2025) - ADOPT 2026 ASSESSMENT AND SPECIAL DISTRICT ROLLS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: TB 11-6-2025 Page 4 of 7 RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby adopts the Special District and Assessment Rolls for the Town of Dryden for 2026. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #180 (2025) – RELEVY DELINQUENT WATER/SEWER AMOUNTS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the relevy of unpaid water and sewer bills to the 2026 real property tax bills. Property owners were mailed a letter advising them of the date by which payment must be received (at least 30 days from the date of the letter) in order to avoid having the amount due added to their property tax bill. The amount relevied will be the outstanding balance on any account prior to the October billing. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Supv Leifer made a motion to adopt the preliminary budget and special district budgets, seconded by Cl Lamb. Cl Vargas-Mendez made a motion to amend the preliminary budget to include salary updates according to the 2026 payrate schedule provided to board members yesterday adjusting the 2026 hire rates, with individual salaries adjusted according to the number of years employed by the town as shown on the schedule for the 2026 budget. He noted the savings realized by the town moving all employees to the Pla tinum health insurance plan will help offset the increase. Supv Leifer said that even with this increase the town will still be under the tax cap. He said this will bring the town’s payrates closer to its peers and provide a structure to address increases in the future. The personnel committee is suggesting the board use these figures despite discussions at the last meeting. He seconded the motion to amend. Cl Lamb said he thought the board had agreed to revisit this schedule in 2026 for implementation in 2027. Salary lines had already been determined for purposes of the preliminary budget. He does not believe he can justify it to his constituents. Cl Dravis noted that there had been some adjustments from the first version in discussions with department heads. A Anderson reviewed the positions that would be receiving increases of more than 10% using the pay schedule. Cl Lamb expressed concern that the numbers he had quoted to the reporter previously would be incorrect if this pay schedule were adopted. The change in the levy amount from the preliminary budget if this pay scale were to be implemented for 2026 would be $71,000.00. A Anderson explained how the use of fund balance from A & B funds could offset the increase. Not using fund balance would increase the tax rate to 2.9% and the levy increase would be 4.43%. The tax rate would be $4.7858 per thousand of assessed value. TB 11-6-2025 Page 5 of 7 Adopting this payrate schedule provides information to Civil Service and to our payroll clerk. Cl Lamb does not agree that salaries for Dryden Fiber should be included in the schedule. Supv Leifer suggested using fund balance instead of raising the levy. The fund balance in A and B would still be a healthy amount. He added the current method of determining pay rates has not been successful. Cl Lamb does not believe fund balance should be used for operational expenses. A Anderson said fund balance has been used to pay operational expenses in the past and have managed to keep the fund balance healthy and safe. In this budget fund balance is being used in DA and DB because they have a reasonable amount to work with. The balances in each fund need to be reasonable. Offsetting the increased payroll with lower health insurance expenses results in less of an increase to the budget than it would to do it in another year. Consensus of the board is to not use fund balance to cover the increase. The goal of adopting the pay rate schedule is to attract and retain staff and establish continuity and institutional memory. Taxpayers are getting valuable services. Cl Vargas-Mendez said it is important to have employees that want to stay and have a town that has opportunities. To do that we need a structure that is at least competitive with our neighbors. This has been discussed for over a month. RESOLUTION #181 (2025) – ADOPT PAY RATE SCHEDULE AND AMEND PRELIMINARY BUDGET Cl Vargas-Mendez offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby adopt s the 2026 payrate schedule as presented and amends the preliminary budget and special districts budget to reflect employees’ rate of pay according to number of years employed as follows: A Fund Account Name Preliminary Budget Adopted Budget Difference A1110.102 Court Clerk I 64,340 66,560 2,220 A1110.103 Court Clerk II 52,227 56,160 3,933 A1220.101 Director of Finance and Personnel 84,400 87,360 2,960 A1220.102 Confidential Secretary 54,860 58,240 3,380 A1220.103 Senior Account Clerk 60,644 63,700 3,056 A1330.100 Receiver of Taxes 33,336 39,104 5,768 A1330.101 Dpty Receiver of Taxes 26,058 30,628 4,570 A1330.102 Dpty Receiver of Taxes 24,838 26,788 1,950 A1410.101 Dpty Town Clerk 26,058 30,628 4,570 A1410.102 Dpty Town Clerk 24,838 26,788 1,950 A1460.1 Records Management 6,018 7,845 1,827 A1460.101 Dpty Records Management 2,744 3,224 480 A1460.102 Dpty Records Management 2,397 2,584 187 A1490.101 Dpty Supt of Public Works 36,741 36,560 (181) TB 11-6-2025 Page 6 of 7 A5010.101 Dpty Highway Superintendent 72,763 76,960 4,197 A5010.102 Secretary to the Highway Supt 48,003 52,780 4,778 A7020.100 Recreation Director 72,998 83,200 10,202 B Fund Account Name Preliminary Budget Difference B3620.101 Code Enforcement Officer 1 62,108 64,480 2,372 B3620.102 Code Enforcement Officer 2 69,731 70,720 989 B3620.106 Keyboard Specialist 52,000 60,320 8,320 B3620.108 Part time Code Enforcement 38,347 38,350 3 B8020.101 Director of Planning 89,662 95,680 6,018 B8020.102 Planner 75,343 72,800 (2,543) SS8 Fund Account Name Preliminary Budget Difference SS8-8110.1 Personnel Services - 4,952 4,952 SW7 Fund Account Name Preliminary Budget Difference SW7-8310.1 Dpty Supt of Public Works 16,138 16,636 498 SW8 Fund Account Name Preliminary Budget Difference SW8-8310.1 Personnel Services - 4,952 4,952 2nd Supv Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb No Supv Leifer Yes The board discussed using fund balance to offset the salary increases and consensus was to not use fund balance. RESOLUTION #182 (2025) – ADOPT AMENDED BUDGET AND AMENDED SPECIAL DISTRICT BUDGETS TB 11-6-2025 Page 7 of 7 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby adopts the amended preliminary general budget as the Town of Dryden’s general budget for 2026, and it is further RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby adopts the amended preliminary special districts budget and the Town of Dryden special districts budget for 2026. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #183 (2025) – AUTHORIZE FIRE CONTRACTS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the following fire contracts for 2026 for the amounts listed and authorizes the Supervisor to execute the same: Neptune Hose Company No. 1 of Dryden Inc. $635,500.00 Varna Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. 481,000.00 W.B. Strong Fire Company of Freeville, Inc. 443,500.00 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #184 (2025) – AUTHORIZE AMBULANCE CONTRACT Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves a contract for ambulance service for 2026 with Dryden Ambulance, Inc. in the amount of $1,273,739.00 and authorizes the Supervisor to execute the same. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:26 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk