Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-10-04-STB TOWN OF ULYSSES SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING OCTOBER 4, 2005 PRESENT : Supervisor Doug Austic , Town Councilpeople Lee Scott, Roxanne Marino and Don Ellis ; Robert Weatherby absent ; Town Clerk Marsha L . Georgia; Deputy Supervisor Richard Coogan. Marsha L. Georgia distributed the 2006 Tentative Budget to the Town Board via their I mailboxes previously and the Town Board was emailed that it was available . Supervisor Austic opened the meeting and summarized several line items as follows : • Insurance increase 4% to 5 % and with Workmen Compensation they are including a clause relative to terrorism • NYS Retirement has sent a bill • Health Insurance increase may be 12% to 15 % • Utilities — rumor has it natural gas could go up by 70% - looking at gas futures Mr. Austic said they do not look that bad . Mr. Austic called NYSE Solutions and was told to figure 40% to 45 % • Library asked for an additional $ 1000 • Municipal Dues were increased to reflect actual dues — previously taken out of other accounts • A1010 . 4 budgeted at $ 7000 for training of the different boards • B8010 has $3750 for stormwater • Alex asked for help —Doug added in $ 3500 for a clerk • Alex ' s salary was increased by 2 hours The Board thought they should talk to Alex about this whole situation . Mr. Austic stated that he used less sales tax because of the fund balance in the B fund . Ms . Marino asked about the different percentages of increase for the health insurance in the different funds Mr. Austic explained his reasoning but would look into it . Mr. Austic reported that the purchase of the jeep , out of pocket cash and including a seven year amortization turns out to be $ 1900 a year but if the mileage had been paid it would have been around $4 , 500 . Ms . Marino asked for a written summary of this information . The money in the current budget for the anticipated fly over (b8010 . 41 ) can be encumbered for use next year. The Board wanted a run down (written summary of) on the Reserve Funds . Mr. Ellis said that if there is not a Reserve fund for the cost of auditing that it would be a good thing to have. Mr. Austic said that he is debating that because the audit is a $4000 to $ 5000 cost that could tie added in the next year' s budget that it would happen that it would not cause a major problem . Mr. Ellis agreed that it is not that much money. Mr. Austic does not feel a reserve fund is the answer because a separate bank account would have to be set up . But it could be encumbered . Ms . Marino suggested adding in $2000 each year into the budget for audits . Mr. Austic said to keep in mind that would increase taxes . Special Board Meeting 2 10/04/2005 Ms . Marino understands that and what she would like to see is encumbering the $2000 left in the 2005 budget and putting in another $2000 in the 2006 budget. The Board agreed to put $2 ,000 in A1320 . 4 . Ms . Marino asked about the increase in Town Justice CE . Mr. Austic said that what was put into the budget was what the Justice Department requested. The Board discussed the Justice ' s request. Mr. Ellis brought up the topic of some compensation for the Planning Board . Mr. Ellis said that the thing in particular is that the Chairman has a good deal of work to do ; it is more than just attending the meetings . The Board needs to get someone that is Chairman and really learn the job and stay. Mr. Ellis is suggesting some kind of stipend would make the difference. Mr. Austic said that a comment was made that it could make the other members feel weird though. Mr. Ellis said that he has an idea about the rest of the members ; maybe make have the rest of the members receive significantly smaller stipends , but that they are based on performance. Mr. Ellis said that there are training activities put together, people go to training and they get scores towards the stipend and so forth and then there is a stipend paid twice a year or something like that . Mr. Ellis said that it would not have to be very much money to make the point and to make people feel like they are appreciated . Mr. Ellis suggested for example with the Planning Board and seven members if you had a $6000 budget the Chairman could get $ 1500 and each member get $ 750 but based on performance . The members would have to attend four of the five training sessions in a year or something like . Mr. Austic asked if the Zoning Board would be the same thing. Mr. Ellis said that you could that would be another $4500 using the same principal . Mr. Austic said that would be adding $ 10, 500 to the tentative budget . The Board discussed this . Ms . Marino felt that it makes a lot of sense with the increase in work, which may happen with the new ordinance . Mr. Scott felt that if the Planning Board is compensated then the Zoning Board should be also . The Board discussed that they may need a job description and also speaks with the town attorney on how to handle if the members did not fulfill their obligations . Mr. Austic will include this in the corrected tentative budget in the B fund, and add more sales tax or fund balance to cover it . The Board moved on to discuss the Highway Budget . Mr. Ellis said that if the Town was a larger organization someone might say that a fuel conservation plan is appropriate, but Mr. Ellis thinks that would be too much. Mr. Ellis suggested that something that amounts to a fuel conservation statement is a good thing to have and be published; maybe just a few paragraphs stating the situation and the measures that are either in place or intended. Mr. Ellis said that he knows that James Meeker the Highway Superintendent is really tuned into this and doing things to conserve, but Mr. Ellis thinks it would be good as a public matter to have a statement saying here is the situation and here is what the Town and Highway Department is doing about it. Mr. Austic said that the new truck that is in the budget is for a much smaller truck and should be more efficient. This truck will be paid for out of the equipment reserve fund. Special Board Meeting 3 10/04/2005 Ms . Marino asked about the highway reserve fund . Mr. Austic said that $20, 000 a year is being put aside for equipment and $ 5000 a year for the building. Mr. Austic explained the highway budget and the contract with the County to do the County Roads . Ms . Marino asked about the health insurance in the DB fund and questioned the percentage of increase. Mr. Austic will re-check this out. The Board discussed taking more sales tax revenue . Mr. Austic explained that if the sales tax was used to help fund the A fund than there would be a different tax rate to the Village . Ms . Marino asked again for a summary report like what was done last year, and included in that she requested information on the anticipated revenues that Mr. Austic is expecting for 2006 in sales tax , mortgage tax etc . , and requests from the various departments . Mr. Ellis said that he would like to discuss the Fire Protection. Mr. Ellis said he was fairly unhappy with the meeting that he attended and the presentation . Mr. Ellis does feel that there is a lot of really good effort made in working with the budget but the particular thing about the fire budget is what are the types of calls . Mr. Ellis asked if the Fire Department had a good record of the types of calls and the causes of the fires . Mr. Austic said that they have the types of calls recorded but not the causes . Mr. Ellis feels that is a place to take a look at things . Mr. Ellis also feels that the $ 700 in the Fire budget for fire prevention is extremely low . Mr. Ellis would like to see a better ' record of what the fire is and what are the causes . If that information was available than you could focus even a small program in the right place . Mr. Ellis felt that these calls represent the most expensive part of the fire budget as opposed to the ambulance calls . Mr. Austic said Mr. Ellis would be wrong that it is the ambulance calls . Mr. Austic has looked into assessing non-profit organizations such as Alpha House, or exempt parcels for the fire protection . He has contacted Tompkins County Assessment Department to get information on this . There may be another way called "In-Lieu of Taxes" . Another area that was discussed was the request from Ken Schlather of Coop . Ext. for aid to the elderly and disabled for heat . It was suggested that $2500 to $ 5000 to put into a fund for this . Hearing no further review Mr. Ellis moved, seconded by Mr. Scott to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned . Respectfully submitted, Marsha L . Georgia Ulysses Town Clerk MLG : mlg Special Board Meeting 4 10/04/2005