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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-12-15 8 0 3 1 Town Board Minutes Special Meeting December 15 , 1997 TOWN OF DANBY TOWN BOARD MINUTES DECEMBER 15, 1997 ISpecial Meeting - 6 : 00 P .M. PRESENT : Supervisor Mary Oltz Councilpersons : Mary Lou Hardesty, Edward Inman, Joseph Schwartz, Howard Steiner Others Present : Carol W . Sczepanski - Town Clerk Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer Members of the Public : Bill Farrell , Naomi Strichartz, Linda Howe, Arch Dotson, Gould Colman, Ken Horst, Gerald E. Catlin, Sr. , Marjorie Catlin, Dawn Parks, Willard Tichnor Daetsch, Dorothy Daetsch, James M . Herson, Ted Jones , Esther Dotson, Bill Hall , Faith Chase, Robert Chase Supervisor Mary Oltz called the Special Meeting of the Board to order at 6 : 00 P . M . to consider salaries for employees of the Town and/or Town Board members . The 1998 Budget does not reflect an increase in line items for the bookkeeper, court clerk and the deputy town clerk and the town justice . The employees are concerned that there was not a raise in salary for these positions in the Fiscal Year 1998 budget. Supervisor Oltz explained that the way the town budgets are set are by line item and do not reflect hourly increases . Salaries are set at the January Meeting of the Board. The line item does not mean that the employees are not going to get a raise . Wages are set by the supervisors . Due to the increase in responsibility of the bookkeeper for payrolls for the Jennings Pond Program a $ 3 , 000 . 00 insurance item will not be needed and can be transferred that line item to cover the additional expense and an increase in wages . Councilperson Inman asked why the line items were not increased . His understanding was that all employees were to receive a 2 . 5 % increase in wages with the exception of the Town Board members . Increase in wages were not reflected in the line items . He does not remember reducing the line items . Supervisor Oltz said that it would be up to the Town Board in 1998 to determine wages . If additional funds are needed money will need to be transferred. She referred to the Supervisor' s Tentative Budget and the many adjustments that were made during working sessions on the budget . Councilperson Schwartz said that his understanding that everyone would receive 2 . 5 % with the exception of the highway as the C . S . E . A . contract negotiations were incomplete . Supervisor Oltz reminded the Board that the increases did not occur in the 1998 Preliminary Budget that was approved by the Board on November 10 , 1997 . Councilperson Steiner said that the figure was a 3 % increase . It was his understanding that there was monies in the budget to allow a 3 % increase without increasing the line item for the bookkeeper . He also understood that the Deputy Town Clerk, Court Clerk and bookkeeper would all receive a 3 % increase . Although the increase is not reflected in the line item it is not to say that those positions will not receive an increase . The wages can be increased and transferred from another area of the budget. Councilperson Hardesty said that it was her understanding at the last meeting that all employees 804 2 Town Board Minutes Special Meeting December 15 , 1997 would get a raise with the exception of the councilpersons . Councilperson Schwartz said that it was the intent of the Board to give the employees a raise in 1998 and would like to insure that they receive that raise in 1998 . Supervisor Oltz said that it is up to next year' s Board to make the decision of whether more funding is needed for employee wages . She explained to the Board that the money is available . The budget was set up and was not contested at the time of approval by the Board . Councilperson said that he feels that the Board agrees that the employees should receive a 3 % increase in wages but it is up to the supervisors of those individuals to present that increase to the Board . Supervisor Oltz said that it was her intent in the Tentative Budget to give everyone a 3 % raise . The Board adjusted that budget and changed those increases in wages on more than one occasion. She agrees that everyone deserves a cost of living increase annually . Raises will be there but it is up to the new supervisor. Naomi Strichartz said that her understanding is that once the budget is approved that it can be lowered but not raised . Supervisor Oltz said that you can only transfer but you cannot transfer funds from Highway Funds to General Funds . Susan Beeners said that she understood that the Town Justice salary should have been increased as well as the other employees . Supervisor Oltz said that it was a suggestion but not made a part of the passing resolution and could be transferred from the Contingency Fund . Ken Horst asked how far the contingency fund could be stretched and what happens if it is not all expended. Supervisor Oltz said that there is an amount of $ 14 ,000 . 00 in the contingency fund . The Town has never used all of its contingency fund in past years . The remaining funds at the end of a year are used to balance the budget and can be encumbered . The same process is used each year. Many times when going through the budget process , department heads do not submit a proposed budget and it is necessary for the Board to estimate needs based on the present years budget and expenditures . The unexpended balance is a projection and is used to balance the amount to be collected by taxes by Tompkins County. Linda Howe said this all started because she asked where the increase was in line items to allow for 3 % increases in salaries . She questions why an increase in salary of 20% was approved in the line item for the Office Assistant /Secretary to the Supervisor .e has performed the work of two (2) justice and She does not think this was fair . The Town Justice p the Court Clerk is paid monthly and salary does not reflect a raise of 3 % . Susan Beeners said that was increased due to changes in job duties and she needs a building inspector . Judge James Herson reported that he did not submit a budget but questions why his equipment and contractual was reduced in 1998 . He does not feel that budget funds and haveedreturned funds been explained. The court in the past has not used all the allocated for He has not submitted budget requests in the past for other school once a y year at a fee of $ SOOre$ 1e000 the Court Clerk. Most Court Clerks in the County g o and our clerk has attended only one . Our Court Clerk is now in the situation of training other court C- 3 Town Board Minutes Special Meeting December 15 , 1997 clerks at no expense to the Town. The other judge paid for his own Court Clerk and bought many of the law books he needed from his own personal funds . The Town Court has never come to the Town and asked for additional funds . Carol Sczepanski reported that any time the Clerk has needed additional funds to pay her Deputy Clerk for unexpected situations not included in her budget request (such as additional requirements that have raised expenses for tax collection and postage , or equipment replacement)the Board has always approved the increase . She is confident that the Town Board will continue to provide funds for services necessary to keep our Town running smoothly. Supervisor Oltz said for the record that people should come to the budget hearings, ask questions, let us know what they are thinking . They should let us know if they are not happy with the figures as there is no way to know if they are not sufficient for effective operation of departments . Community Council Funds for Unemployment Insurance Supervisor Oltz said that she would like to see the NYS Unemployment Insurance paid before December 19 , 1997 to avoid additional interest charges . Motion to Authorize Town Supervisor to pay the Community Council 's N.Y.S. Unemployment Insurance Payment A motion was made by Councilperson Schwartz and seconded by Councilperson Inman to authorize the Town Supervisor to transfer funds in the amount vouchered that were received from Tompkins County to enable Community Council to pay their N . Y. S . Unemployment Insurance . A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows : Hardesty Aye Inman Aye Schwartz Aye Steiner Aye Oltz Aye Carried Unanimously Intent of Board to Increase Wages in 1998 Susan Beeners asked that the Board make it clear that the increase in the Office Assistant/Secretary to the Supervisor reflects a change in job description and position. Councilperson Steiner said that he understands that this job description would go through the review process for the new job description through the County. A decision would be made and then an increase would be approved by the Board . Councilperson Inman said that Councilperson Hardesty suggested that the money be set aside and remain in the budget until a job had been created, established and approved by the Board . Motion of Board ' s Intent to Increase Wages in 1998 A motion was made by Councilperson Steiner and seconded by Councilperson Hardesty that it was the intent of the Town of Danby Town Board to include in the 1998 Town Budget a minimum of a 3 % increase in hourly wage for the Town Court Clerk, Town Bookkeeper, and the Deputy Town Clerk. A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows : Hardesty Aye Inman Aye Schwartz Aye Steiner Aye Oltz Aye Carried Unanimously Judge Herson said that he would request of the new Town Board an increase in funds in the Town Court Al 110 . 4 Account to cover the expenses of the training and necessary expense related to an XO6 4 Town Board Minutes Special er Meeting 15 , 1997 Dece incoming justice . It was suggested that the Board consider offering payment to Judge Herson for acting as both Town Justice for the past few months as there are funds remaining in the A1110 . 1 Account . ADJOURNMENT : On a motion the meeting adjourned at 7 : 25 P . M . diatio./J edies4.071 Carol W . Sczep . ; Town Clerk min12 - 15 . 97 f I ii