Town Budget Meeting October 17th, 2023
OFFICIALS PRESENT: Police Chief Maresca, Deputy Chief Curtis Hahne, Justice John Goldsmith, Building Inspector Julie Musial.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Supervisor Howell called the 2024 tentative budget meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Supervisor Howell stated he had copies of the preliminary budget for the board members. In between the last meeting and tonight, Chris and I had worked on salary adjustments for employees. We had printed out the worksheet we handed out. He asked for questions from the board. They worked on a tiered worksheet based on years of service. Councilmember Davis asked: did we configure the sewer department? Supervisor: yes, with that same – they were factored in too. Davis: with the employment time? Supervisor: yes. Councilmember Jennings: I thought we were discussing changing that a little bit. Is that still in the works? Councilmember Furman: yea, if we can. Supervisor: salary or contractual side? Jennings: salary. Furman: we set those. Jennings: I thought you said we were gonna modify it a little more. Supervisor: the length of service pieces we had, is what you’re talking about. Davis: 5 years, 10 years, 15 years? Supervisor: correct. That would have to go as an addition to the employee handbook.
Supervisor: on Friday we received the number from Thrall library. We just record their information and pass the dollar amount $2279.04. The other one was Howells fire district that came in: $229,429.00. Those are the Mount Hope portion specific districts. The only other new piece that I would have would be in DB under revenue in speaking with Dean, about a proposal for purchasing some highway trucks next year. Estimated cost: $100,000.00. We would add in, similar to General A, the budget line to accommodate & record the use of capital reserve funds. We have over $563,000 in the capital accounts for highway. We’d like to use $50,000 to cover the purchase of these vehicles. That would be a new addition from what you have on page 15. Jennings: how many are we looking to purchase. Supervisor: 2 trucks. He asked Dean for some info on those trucks. H’way Supt.: looking to replace the 2012 pick-up. The mason is a 2010. Supervisor asked for board questions/comments. There were none. He asked Dean if he had anything to go over with his department.
Highway Department:
Supt.: He spoke re: the parks. He would like the .1 raised back up for summer help. Jennings: how much would it cost to have the summer help go through September so our town guys aren’t mowing and they could work on the roads more? Dean: minimum wage next year is $15. So, figure out 15×40/week. Supervisor: $2400. Dean: next is bridges. Every year we wash off our bridges, cut back the growth. Money left over would go in to cap. reserve. He spoke re: snow removal. He spoke re: fuel cost. No board questions. Dean: of course, the salaries from “A” that you have the worksheets for.
Supervisor:
With the adjustment we made with the input for the capital use, my goal is to keep the budget tax-cap compliant. That will put us there. Also, factored in are the #’s for unexpended balance – that’s funds from the current fiscal year that are anticipated to be used towards next fiscal year some money that’s been unspent – that will get us underneath that by $962 for the tax cap without an override through the comptroller’s procedure. That allows us the total maximum increase to the budget allowed by the comptroller before an override $95,144.00; that puts us under by $962.00. That allows for the pay raises for the employees based on the duration of service scale as well as the other request of raises for the employees not covered by that scale. Davis: was it all requested pay raises? Supervisor: outside of…the only 2 included in that are the clerk and highway supt. Their raises were respectfully for the town clerk 4 ¾% which is about $2700 increase and the highway super is 5% $4230. Using that scale Chris and I worked on for the part time employees. All employees are seeing a pay raise based on length of time at the town. Some employees more than they requested. Everyone will get a raise and also some will get more depending on their years of service. Davis: do we still have a 4th court officer? Supervisor: only 3.
The total levy based on the adjustments we discussed the capital reserve transfer and the inclusion of the unexpended balances going forward would give a total levy for the town $2,532,069.00 – that’s General A. General B, highway townwide DA, highway town portion excluding the village DB, Mount Hope fire protection fire district & HV sewer district all together make the town levy. Howell fire district and Thrall library are separate because they are their own taxing authority.
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They follow same procedures as we do regarding the budget. He asked for questions from the board. He asked Councilmember Jennings about his earlier question for the summer help mowing. Jennings: I’d like to see this extended to September to help the guys out. Davis: the bigger issue is getting the help. Jennings: what about hiring another guy? H’way Supt.: we have an opening but we’re gonna get through the winter without another guy. We will look at in the spring. Supervisor: that would be more of a long-term goal as opposed to an immediate need. Supervisor: the hours are already in the budget for another person. Davis: do you still have backup plow guys? H’way Supt.: the list has gone down but we still have them. We have one reliable one. Another that the last time I asked him he turned it down but asked to stay on the list. Jennings: you don’t use that too often, do you? Those guys want those hours. H’way Supt.: no.
Supervisor: any other questions? Davis: asked for the levy amount again – Supervisor Howell gave it to her. He will make adjustments on the sheet and get some new copies made. We will be ready for the public hearing. He spoke re: pay raises and contractual items also being included in here.
H’way Supt.: I would like to make the recommendation for the handbook to update the starting salaries for new employees. Supervisor: we will put that in with the tiers for the length of service.
Building Inspector Musial: are you going to update the manual for holidays? Davis: the holidays will be reviewed in January. Jennings: asked what the budget % is for 2024. Supervisor: difference in dollars – $94, 182 increase from last year’s budget – 3.86%
MOTION TO ADJOURN MEETING:
MOTION offered Councilmember Davis 2nd Councilmember Furman to adjourn the meeting at 6:40pm. All in favor: Howell, Jennings, Davis, Furman; carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen A. Myers, RMC
Town Clerk
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