by Thaddeus Flint
The Town of New Lebanon has released a tentative 2017 budget which currently shows an increase in spending over 2016 of just $4,774 and an increase in taxes of $324.
[private]“My goal,” said Town Supervisor Colleen Teal, “was to keep the budget where it was (no increase in taxes) and begin/continue work on maintaining/improving our assets as well as fixing some of the most significant compensation inequities.”
The 2017 tentative total is $1,758,038 which would be funded with $639,650 in estimated revenues, $65,000 from the general unexpended balance, $10,000 from Highway unexpended balance, and the remaining $1,042,888 to come from taxes. In 2016 those numbers were $1,753,264 total budget, with $635,700 revenue, $75,000 general unexpended balance, and $1,042,564 in taxes.
The Highway Department portion of the tentative budget is $647,195 with $108,750 in estimated revenues. In 2016 these numbers were $628,845 budgeted and $108,600 in estimated revenue.
The biggest difference so far over 2016 is Town funding for the Lebanon Valley Protective Association. The tentative budget shows that the LVPA has had $220,860 budgeted to it since 2011. The 2017 number is currently $108,160 although this will most likely change as Teal said she still has yet to meet with some of the LVPA Board of Directors. Currently the tentative figure only includes “annual operating expenses; no capital or surplus funding was included,” said Teal.
Another notable difference is Attorney expenses. Budgeted 2017 legal costs are tentatively $45,000, while 2016 budgeted was $20,000. However, actual legal fees totaled closer to $30,000 in 2016, said Teal, who does not see the entire $45,000 being needed in 2017 but would like it available “just in case.”
“The increased legal fees are related to increased zoning enforcement as well as ‘fixing’ a lot of historic problems,” said the Supervisor. “We expect things to reach their peak in 2017 and then begin to taper off.”
Continued investment in the Town’s park is also planned. Under Playgrounds and Recreation Centers, $25,000 has been tentatively allocated for repairs to the basketball court and the Pavilion. A shed for the Summer Youth Program to use for storage is also part of that amount. Engineering for these improvements, as well as a planned sidewalk at the Shaker Museum, is expected to be around $6,000 in 2017; in 2016 it was $2,000.
The Parks budget could increase to $37,500 in 2017 from $23,000 budgeted in 2016. A new mower, half paid off in 2017, would account for $12,500 of that amount. Pay increases for Parks staff would account for the rest. Teal said she would ask the Board to raise the Maintenance Superintendent’s compensation from $11.25 an hour to $13.50. Park Staff would go from $10.17 to $12.25 per hour. And in 2018 the Supervisor is looking to continue those increases.
“This is just a Tentative Budget,” said Teal. “it will be up to the whole Board where we go with this.”
Residents interested in live, up to the minute, updates of next year’s budget are invited to attend two workshops: Wednesday, October 5 at 6 pm, and Monday, October 17 at 6 pm.
A copy of the tentative budget is available at the Town Clerks office and can also be found online at: http://www.townofnewlebanon.com/2017-tentative-town-budget-available-to-view/[/private]