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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-04 Budget HearingTOWN OF GROTON – MINUTES OF SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2021 AT 7:30 PM PUBLIC HEARING ON 2022 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING ON 2022 FIRE AND AMBULANCE CONTRACTS THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Town Officers Present: Town Officers Absent: Also Present: Donald F. Scheffler, Supervisor Sheldon C. Clark, Councilperson Ben Nelson Crystal Young, Councilperson Lee Shurtleff Brian Klumpp, Councilperson Richard Gamel, Councilperson April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk Chuck Rankin, Bookkeeper PUBLIC HEARING ON 2022 FISCAL YEAR TOWN BUDGET MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Young, to open the Public Hearing of the Fiscal Year 2022 Preliminary Budget at 7:34 pm. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler The public notice for the 2022 Budget and the 2022 Fire and Ambulance Contracts was read by the Town Clerk. The notices were published in the Town’s official newspaper, the Cortland Standard on October 26th and 27th as well as the Freeville Shopper. Supervisor Scheffler - The tax rate is almost the same as last year. We continue to upgrade machinery while maintaining existing equipment, and that’s due to our talent in the shop. They’re making major repairs and upgrades with things like used truck boxes. They are saving us money. This budget also reflects that we are doing the best to retain our excellent employee base. All of this, and we are staying under the 2% tax cap mandate. A lot of this is due to the efficiency of our employees, and not just the shop, but the clerk’s office and everyone involved. I’d like to thank everybody for that and open the floor up to public comment. Ben Nelson, Highway Mechanic - In regards to what you just said about repairs, new and old. We all know what the state of the world is and things are going to get tighter. I’m sure all of you realize that. I just hope we can continue to hold it together. If it comes down to it, we’ll do what we can do to make it go. Supervisor Scheffler - I was referring to, like the used truck box, and in the past that hasn’t happened. We do appreciate it and every little bit helps. Parts are going nuts, I agree. MOVED by Councilperson Klumpp, seconded by Councilperson Gamel, to close the Public Hearing at 7:36 pm. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Town Board Minutes Page 2 November 4, 2021 PUBLIC HEARING ON FISCAL YEAR 2022 FIRE & AMBULANCE CONTRACTS MOVED by Supervisor Scheffler, seconded by Councilperson Young, to open the Public Hearing on the 2022 Fiscal Year Fire and Ambulance Contracts at 7:36 pm. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Lee Shurtleff - On behalf of the Board of Wardens and the chief officers, I thank the Board for the projected increase in the contract. We tried to keep it in the 2 to 3 percent range. We’ve invested heavily in the last 5 or 6 years in the ambulance side of the house, and out of our proposed budget of around $625,000, $300,000 of it goes towards fulltime and part time salaries for the paramedics and advanced responders on the ambulance. The cost of ambulance service itself is probably $350,000 itself, plus the additional money that the Village puts forward in the daytime position to supplement the driving. So, we’re supplementing the ambulance contract some with the fire contract and it’s working out fine. As far as the ambulance goes, we are on course to 800, probably more, ambulance runs this year. It’s increasing each year. I can’t think of a time in all my years when the ambulance has run as smoothly as it has. A lot of that has to do with the help that we’ve been able to hire and maintain. It’s always been a concern that we have to keep their salaries competitive, keep them with benefits, because there’s a huge demand out there. There’s a lot of commercial services out there that are doing everything they can. The City of Auburn just went on their own because the commercial services can’t provide the level of support that the City feels they are entitled to, so immediately, they are hiring 24 paramedics to go on in the City of Auburn, and they’re hiring a lot of people taking those courses. There’s a demand for paramedics and advanced life support and we have to remain competitive to make sure that we keep the quality of people that we’ve got. We’re doing good volunteer drivers. It’s been a little stressful because we lost our daytime person, but the Village is working to put that back in place. In the longer range, when we look to the fire side to the contracts, I give Chief Nelson a lot of credit, and the chief officers, they’ve done a lot to stabilize and consolidate apparatus over the last few years. In this past year we’ve purchased a new ambulance. They are on an eight-year rotation and we replace one every four years. We have just recently purchased a used tanker that’s been placed into service, 3,000 gallons. Slightly used in the North Country and it will buy us 15 or 20 years. What we did was consolidated down and we no longer have two tanks, but one. As a consequence, and having got out of the ladder business a few years ago, we’re able to shrink the footprint that we’re looking at with the Village as we pursue the building project over the next few years. I spoke with you two years ago and a little bit last year about trying to get ourselves to a point where we are on a regular 20-year rotation with the vehicles. Our engines last 20 years and that’s about as long as you want to go under NFPA and other requirements. Maintenance starts to hit us after the 15-year mark on a lot of these vehicles. But if you’re looking at a new engine every 10 years and making them last 20, rotating, and the tanker in the middle, and then a rescue truck and other equipment, you’re making a major purchase every five years. We’re trying to get the budget to the point where our equipment and apparatus lines provide us with the ability to either purchase or fund over a five-year period, that next major purchase. If the rolling stock all together is in the $1.2 - 1.4 million range, ideally, we should have an apparatus replacement account of $60,000 to maintain that. We’re at $35,000 to $45,000 a year and with slight increases in the Town and Village contracts of $3-4,000 a year over the next 3 or 4 years, that would get us to that point where we have that build-up that would allow us to not have to borrow, but to build a reserve fund and purchase when the time comes. With the increases that are proposed, both to the fire and ambulance contracts, we’re at a point where 2 or 3% a year probably allows us to maintain the personnel at competitive salaries, replace equipment, and maintain our expenses. The Village is going to have to look at longer term bonding on a building when that project comes to fruition, but as far as our own budget goes and the ability to maintain operations and the level of services that we have, we’re about there. A lot of that is due to the fact that you did as the Town Board, along with the Village, invested in that ambulance crew. We replaced an engine two years ago and at the time we didn’t go out and bid a brand-new half-million- Town Board Minutes Page 3 November 4, 2021 dollar truck and we were able to find demo vehicle that was about half the price of a new one and it will buy us 20 good years. So, the officers have been really careful. Major projects moving ahead are air packs that we use for self-contained breathing apparatus are pretty much expiring in 2023 - 2024. To replace those 14 to 16 units plus spare bottles is going to be upward to $150,000. We’re selling some of the old equipment. We’re raising a small equipment line, but will probably look at financing the purchase of our air pack replacement over a two-year period when the time comes. But once they are bought, we will be able to stay within National and State standards and keep the people at OSHA and PESH happy. Then you look at replacing again in 14 to 15 years. After that, legally, you have to take that equipment out of service. So, as we build this capital program, we are not only putting in for the cost of fire apparatus and vehicles, but the cost of large equipment that we have, such as the air packs. If you were to replace, on the ambulance side, the defibrillators and heart monitors, you’re looking at $60,000, and we’ve gotten to the point where we lease those and pay for them over a four-year period and then roll over into an upgraded model. All in all, I think we’re in pretty good shape. Councilperson Gamel - Said that he appreciated the smaller footprint for the building project but hoped that they would still have room for expansion if needed. Discussion took place with Chief Nelson on plans for the building and efforts to make it more affordable. MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Klumpp, to close the Public Hearing at 8:04 pm. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler RESOLUTION #21-066 - ADOPT FISCAL YEAR 2022 TOWN BUDGET MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Young RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby adopts the Fiscal Year 2022 Town Budget as presented. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed RESOLUTION #21-067 - APPROVE FISCAL YEAR 2022 FIRE & AMBULANCE CONTRACTS MOVED by Supervisor Scheffler, seconded by Councilperson Klumpp RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the Fiscal Year 2022 Fire and Ambulance Contracts between the Town of Groton, the Village of Groton, and the Groton Fire Department. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed There being no further business, Councilperson Gamel moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Councilperson Young, at 8:05 pm. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk