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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-10-30-Budget HearingTOWN OF GROTON — MINUTES OF SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING ON FISCAL YEAR 2018 PRELIMINARY BUDGET MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017 AT 7:30 PM THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Those present: Donald F. Scheffler, Supervisor Richard Gamel, Councilperson Kelly Smith, Councilperson Randy N. Jackson, Councilperson Sheldon C. Clark, Councilperson Also present: Lee Shurtleff, Lance Coit, Richard Case, Charles Rankin, April Scheffler. Supervisor Scheffler welcomed everyone and asked the Town Clerk to read the Public Notice, which was duly published in the Town's legal paper, the Groton Independent, on October 19, 2017. MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Jackson, to open the Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018 Preliminary Town Budget at 7:32pm. Ayes - Gamel, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler. PUBLIC HEARING ON FISCAL YEAR 2018 TOWN OF GROTON BUDGET Supervisor Scheffler opened the floor for comments. Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent - Asked if anything had changed from the Tentative Budget and the Board said that it had not. I'm not, which I have said before, hot on the idea of building other programs on the back of the Highway Department budget. In the budgeting process that's taken place this year, if adopted, it's taken hundreds and thousands of dollars out of the Highway Department, which I don't believe is sound budgeting. With that being said, as Highway Superintendent for the last 20 years, I cannot accept the changes in this budgeting process. In my opinion, the way this budget was conceived goes against sound budgeting practices. I would like it recorded that this is not the Highway budget that I submitted to work on at a workshop. What happens in this budget from this point, it's your budget, not mine. That's all I have to say. With no one else wishing to speak, it was MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Jackson, to close the Public Hearing at 7 : 3 0pm. Ayes - Gamel, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler MOVED by Councilperson Clark, seconded by Councilperson Smith, to open the Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018 Groton Fire Protection and Ambulance Budgets at 7: 3 6pm. Ayes - Gamel, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler PUBLIC HEARING ON FISCAL YEAR 2018 GROTON FIRE PROTECTION AND AMBULANCE BUDGETS Lee Shurtleff, Representing the Board of Wardens - Brought information to help show the Board a more detailed picture of how the Fire Department came up with the budget amounts that were requested. The contracted amounts between the Town and the Village for 2017 were just under $500,000.00 and non -contract revenues were $25,000.00 in both 2017 and for 2018. In formulating the 2018 budget they increased all four contracts, Village Fire, Town Fire, Village Ambulance, and Town Ambulance, Town Board Minutes Page 2 October 30, 2017 $7,500.00 each. This will raise the total budget from $510,000.00 total to $540,500.00. The major influences driving this have to do with the provision of ambulance service. The Town Board has been very supportive as they have been trying to turn around a difficult situation with ambulance response. They now have three full time paramedics and about a half dozen part time paramedics and critical care technicians who are paid on a perdiem basis. This has resulted in keeping the ambulance staffed pretty much 24 hours a day for the last two years. But with that comes an increase in costs. For 2017, $220,000.00 was budgeted for paramedic salaries. In 2018, if the current trend continues, it will be about $270,000.00. Part of that is also because the three full timers are all taking health insurance. The overall cost for the ambulance for 2018 also includes ambulance payments of $25,000.00; defibrillator leases of $15,000.00; and ambulance supplies cost of $19,000.00. This is a total of $329,000.00, but the contracts from the Town and Village are $266,000.00. What this means is that the Fire Contracts are supporting that by providing facilities, fuel, insurance, etc. The Fire Department underwrites all the additional costs to keep the Ambulance in business. Fixed costs for the rest of the Department also include a contribution to a capitol reserve fund for future building; Workers Comp is over $40,000.00 a year; insurance costs for vehicles, liability and buildings is over $15,000.00; building and equipment costs are averaging 65,000.00; and auditing is $5,000.00. Adding up everything, it only leaves with about $50,000.00 for what is called discretionary funds which include fuels costs; program costs; is put back into the community and support of the membership. There is not a lot of wiggle -room in this budget. Mr. Shurtleff then talked about the equipment and vehicles that they have and the age of them, some of which are getting quite old. They are hoping to get to a point where in 2020, they can provide for replacing an engine every 10 years through a capital program. The 2 ambulances are currently on a program where each runs for 8 years and they are replacing one every 4 years. They are not sure what to cost of a new building will be. They have money that will go towards the building, but the Village has bought the property and a long term plan is still in the process. They have the second lowest tax rate in the County, the lowest being the Town of Ulysses, which has a very healthy tax base with the lakefront properties. Lance Coit, Fire Chief - Commended the Board for their support of the Ambulance and Fire Department and said that it was thanks to that support that they are now able to cover almost all of the ambulance shifts. He showed Dryden's current schedule, which showed some shifts that did not have someone scheduled, and explained how the various ambulance services covered for each other. With no one else wishing to speak, it was MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Smith, to close the Public Hearing at 7:56pm. Ayes - Gamel, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler Supervisor Scheffler asked if there was any discussion from the Board. There were questions about a couple lines in the budget that had zeros in them. In the A Fund, one was the Drug & Alcohol Testing and the Bookkeeper said that would be taken out of the Highway Funds as it is a Highway expense. The other one was Celebrations, in the A Fund; it was discussed that they might move some into that fund from Contingency. To give the Board time to think more about the Budget, it was MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Smith, to wait until the November Board Meeting to take action. Ayes - Gamel, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler There being no further business, Councilperson Gamel MOVED to adjourn, seconded by Councilperson Jackson, at 8:03 pm. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk