DRAFT

Budget Workshop

11/17/11

The Budget workshop was called to order at 6:15 PM.

Board members present were Councilman MacDougal, Councilman LaForest, Councilwoman LaPine, Councilman Wrisley and Supervisor Boisen. Also present was Audrey Hoskins, Town Clerk.

Visitors included Catherine DeWolfe, Tina Gardner, Jim Van Hoven, Mike Pratt and Davis Hislop.

General Fund

Appropriations

No changes in Town Board or Town Justice.

Supervisor CE – $800 was added for soft wear yearly fees.

Fees for training 1 day a month was added.

Tax Collector same.

Assessor – change was to legal fees from $101,500 to $81,500. decreased to Councilman LaForest said we need to keep a very close eye on these legal fees.

Town Clerk salary combined with the Planning Board secretary will be $22,019.

There was a discussion about raising the Deputy Town Clerk’s salary.

It was decided by the Board the Deputy Town Clerk will not be responsible for the Planning Board duties when she covers for the Town Clerk/Planning Board Secretary, therefore the majority of the Board felt an increase in the salary was not warranted.

Motion made by Councilman LaForest to maintain the Deputy Town Clerk salary at $2112. Seconded by Councilman MacDougal. Roll call Councilwoman

LaPine-yes, Councilman MacDougal-yes, Councilman LaForest-yes, Councilman Wrisley-no and Supervisor Boisen-no

Town Clerk contractual decreased to $600. The new computer will be purchased in 2011.

Attorney CE will be $4000.

Buildings CE same.

Unallocated Insurance, Municipal Association dues, Tax and assessment,

Contingency same as preliminary.

Animal Control PS, SPCA, Animal Control, Life Flight, Health Office same as preliminary.

Other Public safety-EMS. Supervisor Boisen said she has spoken to Ed Hatch and Willsboro is budgeting for the EMS services for 2012. Ed was advised by an attorney that there must be public hearing on the EMS. It would be subject to permissive referendum. The Board discussed the issue of this line item in our budget. Councilwoman LaPine said there are still a lot of questions to be answered about the proposed EMS plan. After further discussion the Board decided to put $6,000 in this line item for the 2012 budget.

Highway same as preliminary.

Sidewalks same as preliminary.

Parks, Playground Equip., Special Rec. Fac. Grange, Youth Summer program and Youth-other same as preliminary.

Library CE, Historian CE, Senior Center Bldg., Parade/fireworks, Senior Van Maint., Program for the Aging same as preliminary.

Zoning Officer PS, Zoning Officer CE, Planning Board Legal, Planning Board CE same as preliminary.

Planning Board PS (secretary) position will be combined with the Town Clerk position.

The need for an internal auditor was discussed.

Brass, Refuse & Garbage, Site monitoring same as preliminary.

Supervisor Boisen said we need to meet with Willsboro and discuss the Transfer Site. The sale of tickets at the transfer site was discussed. The sales of tickets to

Willsboro was discussed.

Beautification CE same as preliminary.

NYS Retirement, Social Security, Workers Comp., Unemployment Ins., Disability, Health Ins., same as preliminary.

Transfers to capital- dock, senior van and Wrights Inn same as preliminary.

Revenues – same for all line items except Lease-Nexia is $8618 and

Rental-real property (ACAP) will be $1920. Youth program – Cty will be decreased to $604.

The tax rate was discussed and Supervisor Boisen asked if there were any line items the Board felt we could lower. The General goes from 5.5% to 7.8% increase. If we use more fund balance we can lower the rate. This was discussed. If we use more fund balance it lowers the rate to 3.29%.

General fund – Attorney CE was decreased from $4000 to $3000.

Assessor CE/legal fees was reduced from $81,500 to $76,500.

With this reduction the tax rate will be a 2.94% increase.

Highway

Regular Crew PS – will be $77828 and Snow removal will be $73592. Health

Insurance will be decreased to$90,000. All other line will be the same as preliminary.

General repair, CHIPS, Highway signs, Machinery EQ, Machinery CE and snow removal CE all the as preliminary.

Revenues – added revenue for surplus equipment sales of $5000. The other lines will be same as preliminary.

Supervisor Boisen said she would like to discuss the purchase of a pickup for the Highway Depart. We went out to bid early this year for a new pickup, which we did not purchase. The Board discussed the purchase and the fact that pickups are no longer on State contract. New versus used pickups were discussed. $25,000 will be added to the Highway budget for the purchase of a pickup. An RFP will be done.

Essex Lights same as preliminary.

Whallonsburg Lights same as preliminary.

Water District #1

All line same as preliminary.

Revenues

Unmetered sales decreased from $90,628 to $64,689.

Water billing will need to adjusted. Rates will need to be determined. We are working on this for the next quarter bills. There was a discussion as to the cost of sewer and water per user per year.

Lease-Nextel increased from $11,337 to $21,143. Sale of scrap same as preliminary.

Water District #1 Extension #1 Fund

Same as preliminary.

Fire District 1 – same as preliminary.

Fire District 2 – same as preliminary.

Sewer District Fund

Appropriations

Sewer Operator – salaries same as preliminary.

Sewer Operator – benefits increased from $17,917 to $23,494.

Contractual increased from $10,000 to $16,028.

There will be no principal payment on the loan in 2012 since the short term loan will rolled over into the long term loan.

Revenues

Unmetered sales decreased from $104,650 to $82,922.

David Hislop asked where we stand with the water meters. Supervisor Boisen said there are problems. Jim LaForest and Jim Morgan are going out and check the meters to see what issues we will need to deal with to have them in working order

The buyout issue was discussed and how it will affect the Town.

Councilman LaForest said $30,000 was raised for the victims of Irene in the

Town of Essex.

.Motion to adopt 2012 budget as amended made by Councilman LaForest.

Seconded by Councilman MacDougal. Roll call Councilwoman LaPine-yes, Councilman MacDougal-yes, Councilman LaForest-yes, Councilman Wrisley-yes and Supervisor Boisen-yes.

Motion to accept Michelle Cassidy’s resignation from the Planning Board with

regret and thanks for her service to the Town, made by Councilman LaForest. Seconded by Councilman MacDougal. Roll call Councilwoman LaPine-yes, Councilman MacDougal-yes, Councilman LaForest-yes, Councilman Wrisley-yes and Supervisor Boisen-yes.

Motion to give permission to Supervisor Boisen to sign the 2011 contract with Beldon Noble Library and disburse the $10,000 made by Councilman LaForest. Seconded by Councilwoman LaPine. Roll call Councilwoman LaPine-yes, Councilman MacDougal-yes, Councilman LaForest-yes, Councilman Wrisley-yes and Supervisor Boisen-yes.

The Board discussed the Policy Manual. It was decided that the Board would take their copy home and go over the manual and decide what issues they feel needs to be addressed. A meeting will be scheduled to update the manual. Councilwoman LaPine said she felt we should do this in executive session.

It was felt that since this was not about a specific employee then we do not need

to go into executive session. No decision was made as to a date for this meeting.

We need to advertise for a new Planning Board member.

Supervisor Boisen said there is a member of the community that would like to donate the money to maintain the Octagon School and turn it into a school house museum. Supervisor Boisen said she will look into the legal facts and get back to the Board with this information.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:16 PM.

Respectfully submitted Audrey Hoskins, Town Clerk