Looking At Proposed 2018 Spending Plan
Stephentown’s 2018 preliminary budget has been released, it was reported at the October 16 Town Board meeting, with a possible increase in spending of 5.8%.
That number is still not yet “finalized” said Town Supervisor Larry Eckhart, and does not include any money added from Unexpended Fund Balance, which could push lower the amount needed to be raised by taxes. If all numbers remained the same in the final budget as they did in the preliminary one, the tax rate per thousand would increase from 3.93162 to 4.13716.
Any spending increase over the State implemented 2% tax cap (which is rarely exactly 2%) would require a 60% approval of the Board. “I feel pretty good about this,” said the Supervisor, noting that it was almost impossible for the Town to stay within the limit when expenses like health care are increasing at a rate far higher than 2% a year.
“I’m not interested in staying with their [NY State’s] number,” added Councilman P.J. Roder. “It will just put you in a hole later.”
The preliminary budget is available for examination at the Town Hall and on the Town’s website.
One example of how expenses could significantly rise from one year to the next was shown in a discussion of the Transfer Station. According to Councilman Bill Jennings, the current waste hauler, Waste Management, doubled its current fee in a bid for the Town’s next five years of haulage. Currently, Stephentown pays $182 per ton hauled. That would have increased by just less than double to $350 had the Town accepted the bid. It did not. TAM Waste Management of Shaftsbury, Vermont bid $189 for the new five-year contract, with a negotiable cost of living increase each year, starting January 1. The company, which also serves the Town of Hoosick Falls, will be transporting Stephentown’s recyclables to a new facility in Pownal.
Transfer Station permits will remain free for senior citizens in 2018, said Jennings. However, he pointed out that as the population of the Town continues to age, it might not be feasible in the future to continue that perk. At the moment, about half of the stickers are “freebies,” said Jennings, adding that he, at the young age of 73, refuses to take a free permit because he doesn’t want to be considered a senior citizen just yet. “Maybe when I’m eighty.”
Another example of the high costs of running a Town was pointed out in the reading of the bills, where one invoice to McCarthy Tire Service was for $9,972.39. This was for new tires and their installation, for the Highway Department’s grader and loader. “It’s just incredible,” said Eckhart, adding that every time he personally has to buy a new tire for some of the heavy equipment on his farm he has to start the process by calling his bank.
There were seven resolutions voted on, and approved with all those in attendance (Councilman Chris Demick was absent) voting in favor of each one. These included authorizing the Supervisor to pay highway bills prior to the next Board meeting so a deadline for CHIPS funding could be met, and authorizing the Town Clerk to advertise for 2018 appointed positions and for a cleaner for the Town Hall. Resolution #28 accepted Terry Sykes’ bids for snow removal at the Town Hall ($65) and the Transfer Station ($150). Resolution #29 established standard workday hours for elected and appointed positions so that number can be reported to New York State and local retirement systems.
The law firm of Girvin & Ferlazzo was retained by resolution #30, to be used if needed in “zoning and land use matters.” Supervisor Eckhart indicated that a recent complaint by Stephentown attorney Brian Baker in regard to a mobile home park seemingly sprouting up on land next to his might create the need for such council. The Town’s regular attorney, Craig Crist, has asked to be recused from that case because he also works for the State.
The Town’s Dog License Law, which was already passed just recently but then was found to need some editing, was passed again in Resolution #31. “We are just playing this inning all over again,” said Eckhart. A Public Hearing on the law took place right before that night’s Board meeting and nobody from the public was heard because nobody had anything to say on the matter.
Resolution #32, which was not on the agenda, allowed the employees of the Highway Department, all three of them, to vote on who their bargaining unit would be, the Teamsters Union or themselves. Since the United Public Service Union pulled out of possibility of being their bargaining unit, the Teamsters seemed to assume they had won the right to represent the three employees. This turned out to be incorrect. “They need to own this decision,” said Councilman Roder, and would be allowed to hold a vote to decide Teamsters or no Teamsters.
The legendary relief pitcher and Stephentown native, Elroy Face, will not be appearing in person at an upcoming dedication of a sports field named in his honor, reported Supervisor Eckhart. Face is currently 89 years old and “feels that traveling will not be an option,” said Eckhart. The Berlin School Board, however, is looking into a possible live video stream of Face at the dedication, which will be held on October 28 at 3 pm, at the fire hall. The parcel of land next to the old Stephentown Elementary School, kept by the School District when that property was recently sold, is to be officially named the Elroy Face Athletic Field.
Announcement: According to the Town’s web page, “the NRL public information meeting that was scheduled for Wednesday, October 25 at the Town Hall from 6 to 8 pm has been canceled by the presenters and will be rescheduled at a later date.” This was to have been a presentation by a company looking to possibly add an additional powerline to the ones currently cutting through the Town on the National Grid right of way.