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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-11-02T 13 1 1 =2 -06 TOWN OF DRYDEN SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING BUDGET HEARING NOVEMBER 2, 2006 Present: Supv Steven Trumbull, Cl Martin Christofferson, Cl Daniel Tier III, Cl Stephen Stelick, Jr., Cl Mary Ann Sumner Elected Officials: 13ambi L. Hollenbeck, Town Clerk Other Town Staff: Mahlon R. Perkins. Town Attorney Daniel Kwasnowski, Environmental Planner Dawn Bogdan, Bookkeeper Supv Trumbull opened the meeting at 6:08 p.m. and led audience and board members in the pledge of allegiance. He opened the budget: hearing saying that: the tax rate is flat at $1.44 per thousand. The tax levy increased by $35,000, approximately a 4% increase, and overall appropriations increased about 5 %. There were no comments from the board. Mike Lane asked what drove the increase in the tax levy. Supv Trumbull said additions were made as follows: independent audit $12,000, human resources consultant $7,500, town hall contingency $10,000, recreation survey $12,000, recreation equipment $19,000, natural resources has about $80,000 for stormwater and farmland protection, highway DA $39,000 and DB $27,000. M Lane asked about changes in salaries from last year and was told everyone got 4% with the exception of the environmental planner who received an 8% increase. He asked whether the salary for Town Clerk was combined with tali collector and was told she received an additional $15,207 for tax collection. M Lane said he is a proponent of eventually moving tax collection to a centralized system because he thinks it: would be less expensive overall for everyone. He also said he thinks the Town Clerk's salary is too low and the reason it is low is because years ago the tax collection and town clerk's salary were combined. He hopes that someday the Clerk could be paid for clerk services and the collection of taxes could be looked at: seriously as to how it could be done less expensively. He said both Ithaca and Dryden school districts do tax collection through a bank. There is an entrenched system in the towns where the tax collector and gown clerk are combined, and he said they do enough work that they should be paid a fair salary for doing the clerk work. 13 Hollenbeck noted the towns still would need a collection process of some sort for water and sewer billings, and that there would need to be a discussion about who kept the records for public. information, etc. M Lane said he thinks it could be done less expensively, but doesn't think the Clerk should have to suffer because of it. Martha Robertson asked for clarification on several recreation items. A7020.2 increased from $1,500 in 2006 to $20,100 due largely to the cost of the skateboard park $15,000, but a lot of that will be offset by contributions ($13,000 to date). Line A7020.4 includes $12,000 for a recreation survey. Cl Stelick noted the previous survey was a Iiimited survey and they want to look at the town more in depth. Youth Personal Services A7310.1 has gone to zero from $14,684 because it has been combined to line A7310.4 ($86,000) representing a combination of all items requested. This is youth commission funding for programs (summer camps, Freeville jobs, day camps, etc). Page I of 5 TB 11 -2 -06 • Youth Recreation line A7330.4 ($56,360) includes $13,000 for the Recreation Partnership and $31,000 for contractual expense for town programs. Staffing is included in A7020. l.. Community Center funding is included in A 1630.4 in the amount of $25,000. M Robertson said she understood that $8,000 has been approved for the community centers this year. She would like the balance of $17,000 to roll over into next year's budget and was told it: would not. She asked whether it was too late for a center to apply for that money for this year. Cl Sumner asked that they submit a written proposal prior to a meeting so it could be reviewed. M Robertson said in reviewing the minutes she found that the money was intended for capital improvements. Cl Christofferson said the board needs to decide on some criteria for that funding, but it is intended to help the community centers, Community centers can submit a request in writing detailing what the funds will be used for up to $2,000 from the 2006 budget. There will be $25,000 in the budget for next year and the $17,000 remaining for 2006 will not roll over to 2007. CI Christofferson suggested a committee be formed to determine guidelines and define criteria for that funding. Cl Stelick will meet with the community centers. M Lane asked about the status of the current collective; bargaining contract, and was told it goes through 2009. He asked about the apparent loss of state aid in one of the revenue lines and was told it was for the Virgil Creek prc?ject that was completed. Simon St. Laurent said that two years ago he came to the budget hearings and everyone was aware that getting the information out: was a mess and it hasn't gotten any better. It is still basically opaque, there is no summary page that compares anything to previous years, and it was not available on the web. He asked what steps were being taken to make the budget process accessible. He would like an explanation of what each line means because otherwise it basically useless to an outsider and he would like it posted on the web. Cl Christofferson said that would be nice, but there had been budget workshops. S St Laurent said that posting a legal notice and holding a hearing is not the same as inviting the public to participate. It would be nice to have the information available in a form that people can digest without having to attend all the meetings. M Robertson it would be helpful to have prior years' figures included for comparison. S St Laurent suggested perhaps the budget process needs a budget. D Bogdan added additional staff would be helpful. M Robertson said she spoke with Tracy Kurtz of the Youth Commission at a meeting of the OURS /YOURS program and they would like the board to consider adding $10,000 in the budget: for the program. This seems to be completely appropriate as part: of the mission of the Youth Commission in that it serves youth at risk. The board asked for more information, saying it would be helpful to have something in writing. M Robertson said this group has been formed and they are looking for the community to buy into this and take ownership. They have gotten this started and the kids at the trailer park they propose to serve are excited. The students have a limited time in the community and have gotten something started that is very valuable. If we can build on that, the Town will get a lot more out of that small amount of money. They have support from 4 -H and the County Youth Services is helping them. The Board said they would need more information from the OURS /YOURS program, and that if it determined it was appropriate, there is a contingency fund they could draw from for funding. He would like a presentation about: the project. Mike Lane thanked the board for the additional $500.00 for the library this year and said that more and more people are using the rural libraries. He thanked the board and the department heads for the time spent in putting together a budget, noting that it is a difficult • process and they don't come together easy in times of rising costs that you can't control. Page 2 of 5 TB I I -2 -06 M Lane asked if there were any one -time expenditures in the budget for the new town hall, such as paving of the driveway, etc. if so, he hoped that would be tracked and added to the actual cost of the town hall, but also looked at as a one -time thing so that it would not be repetitious for next year's budget. D Bogdan said everything would be accounted for in the capital project fund. He said his concern was that everything related that would raise the capital project total (including work done by town employees) be tracked, and that if it was being spent from this year's budget, that it not: be a recurring expense next year. Skip Thorne, president of the Etna Community Center, said that they had submitted a request two years ago to have their playground fixed ($652) and never heard anything wRth respect to that request. They have a building they maintain themselves and the US Post Office is a tenant in that building. They are not really struggling, but thought if there was money in the budget for community centers, and since they have a playground that is open to everyone in the county, they thought they could apply for that funding. He gave the board a copy of that request. Cl Stelick apologized saying he never saw the letter, and asked for an updated request. Cl Stelick asked M Robertson whether the County would continue to fund local libraries, She said that is back in the budget and it seems to come up every couple of years. She said she believes the County should help fund the rural libraries. Supv Trumbull closed the public hearing at: 7:12 p.m. Atty Perkins said at the October board meeting he gave board members a proposed draft of an agreement with the Finger Lakes Land Trust; detailing what the Town would do in exchange for the Dabes property. The board had no questions and he said he will forward it to the Land Trust. New York State DOT as part of their highway work procedure and application require that an applicant give a surety bond to the Department to make sure that the work is done correctly. Atty Perkins has spoken with DOT in Syracuse and they indicate an undertaking by the Town will be sufficient. This is a less expensive and quicker option. A resolution authorizing the Supervisor to sign the document is necessary. Atty Perkins has reviewed and approved the forms and the work permit can be issued as soon as DOT receives a certified copy of the resolution. RESOLUTION #160 - Resolution Authorizing Town Supervisor to Sign Undertaking to New York State Department of Transportation Cl Christofferson offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Town of Dryden is required to obtain a Highway Work Permit from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in connection with the construction of a new driveway access from New York State Route 392 to the new Town Hall site at 93 East Main Street, Dryden, New York, and WHEREAS, the Town has submitted an application to NYSDOT for a Highway Work Permit and the engineer for that part of the new Town Hall project: submitted detailed plans and estimates of the cost of such construction to NYSDOT, and WHEREAS, NYSDOT requires, as a condition of the issuance of a Highway Work Permit, a performance bond with a corporate surety or an undertaking filed with NYSDOT by the Town of Dryden guaranteeing the performance of the construction of the driveway access according to the approved plans and terms of the Highway Work Permit, now, therefore I'age 3 of 5 TB 11 -2 -0b BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Supervisor is authorized and directed to execute and file an undertaking of the Town of Dryden to NYSDOT in connection with the aforementioned Highway Work Permit in such form and with such terms as may be acceptable to NYSDOT and the attorney for the Town. 2nd Cl Stelick Roll Call Vote Cl Christofferson Yes Cl Tier Yes Supv Trumbull Yes Cl Stelick Yes Cl Sumner Yes Cl Stelick said a letter was received from Brooktondale Fire Department stating they are not happy with the 4% increase in their contract: and are requesting $19,000, $430 more than was budgeted for. The reason for the increase requested is the increased cost of fire fighter liability insurance. CI Sumner said the board has no idea what their total operation budget: is and the town has no report of what they've done with the money in prior years. Another public hearing will be necessary to increase the amount, and after discussion, the board decided against increasing their contract amount. C1 Stelick said this is a reason to reach out to that department and get some more information. RESOLUTION # 161 - ADOPT SPECIAL DISTRICT & ASSESSMENT ROLLS CI Christofferson offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board does hereby adopt the Special District and Assessment Rolls for the Town of Dryden for 2007. 2nd Cl Stelick Roll Call Vote Cl Christofferson Yes Cl Tier Yes Supv Trumbull Yes Cl Stelick Yes Cl Sumner Yes RESOLUTION #162 - ADOPT 2007 GENERAL BUDGET Cl Stelick offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby adopts the preliminary general budget as the Town of Dryden's general budget for 2007. 2,,d Supv Trumbull Roll Call Vote Cl Christofferson Yes Cl Tier Yes Supv Trumbull Yes Cl Stelick Yes Cl Sumner Yes Page 4 of 5 TB I I -M6 RESOLUTION # 163 - ADOPT SPECIAL DISTRICTS BUDGET Cl Tier offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption. RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby adopts the preliminary special districts budget as the Town of Dryden's special districts budget for 2007. 2tie Supv Trumbull Roll Call Vote Cl Christofferson Yes Cl Tier Yes Supv Trumbull Yes Cl Stelick Yes Cl Sumner Yes Cl Christofferson said there are some change orders that need to be done for the new building. There will be some walls eliminated in the Zoning offices and one moved in the Court offices. They also want to add fiber optic cable from the old building to the new one so we can share telephone and internet services. There also needs to be some additional phone jacks installed. He asked Atty Perkins how to handle these changes. Atty Perkins said the board could authorize the Supervisor to execute those change; orders and may want to set a "not: to exceed cost" or authorize it on the condition that it doesn't change the contract amount. Cl Christofferson will contact Egner Associates and ask them to prepare the necessary documents for the November 15 board meeting. There being no further business, on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Hollenbeck Town Clerk Page 5 of 5