Merry Christmas to all!

Shop Small Business Saturday

11/16/16 EG Town Board Meeting

The following were unanimously adopted except where noted.

·         212-2016 Authorize Purchase of a Point of Sale System Computer for Town Clerk’s Office

·         213-2016 Extend General Water District to Include 150 Ridge Road, owned by Kamal Swami and Avani Swami

·         214-2016 Local Law #4, Adopting/Ratifying the Land Subdivision Regulations of the Planning Board and Adopting an Amendment Thereto

·         215-2016 Refund of the Filing Fee for Small Claims Assessment Hearing

·         216-2016 Authorize Public Works Personnel Positions

·         217-2016 Agreement with Rensselaer County Concerning Snow and Ice Removal

·         218-2016 Purchasing Clerk to Solicit Bids for High Flow Articulated Compact Loader for Snow and Ice Removal on Sidewalks

·         219-2016 Provisionally Appoint Christopher Ochs Motorized Equipment Operator Heavy (MEOH) in Public Works Congratulations and welcome!

·         220-2016 Adopt Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2017 Councilor Mary Anne Matters voted “No”. 220-2016 included the following language “with dissenting votes cast by Councilor Matters, duly approved a preliminary budget” on 10/24/16.  I honestly don’t recall a person’s previous vote reflected in the body of a subsequent resolution. Seriously?

·         221-2016 Addition of CDPHP EPO 120 Plan to the Town Policy

·         222-2016 Refer Application for L. Browe Asphalt Services Pavement Batch Plant Planned Development District to Town Planning Board for Review and Recommendation

·         223-2016 Create Assistant Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer and Appoint Nicholas Petramale as Assistant Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer and Part-Time Fire Inspector Congratulations and welcome!

·         224-2016 Conditional Job Offer to Griffin S. Hotaling for Police Officer Congratulations and welcome!

·         225-2016 Honoring Gerald Middleton for Fifty Years of Service to the Best-Luther Fire Department Congratulations and thanks!

·         226-2016 Appoint William Mahan Bingo Inspector Congratulations and welcome back!

·         227-2016 Create Part-Time Operations Consultant and Appoint Terry Sharp to that Position Congratulations and welcome!

 

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

ELECTION REFLECTION

Donald J. Trump has been elected the 45^th President of the United States.  Was his victory due to the polls, pundits, prognosticators or that he tapped into the angst many feel about being forgotten by Washington?  Who could blame them?

Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican) said in late 2010 “Our top political priority over the next two years should be to deny President Obama a second term.”  Too late to stop the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or the Affordable Care Act (2010), but early enough to block any other Obama initiative.  Those feeling the angst weren’t forgotten – they were downright abandoned!

President Elect Trump made a good number of promises and walked back some during his campaign.  Will his tax cuts and program expansions, i.e. the military, be subjected to the same requirement that they be paid for by offsetting program cuts or will they grow the deficit a la the Reagan tax cuts?

Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will not likely support every Trump initiative but they won’t likely fight every one either.  I believe and hope they will support initiatives that are good for America and her people!  Pelosi has already indicated support for an infrastructure program (I assume provided it doesn’t include the “Wall”). 

“Good” is the operative and subjective word.  Political parties generally have the same goals but different approaches to achieving them.  Tax cuts or increased spending to grow a stagnant economy?  Help for the struggling or empowerment?  Fewer or increased regulations?  Critical choices all.

Regardless, we should all insist that the Washington “elite” work together to address the many issues this nation faces.  Their success will be our success!  Or will the masses be abandoned again?

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

Remember those who served!

EG Town Board 11/3/16 Budget Hearing

Town Supervisor Jack Conway narrated a PowerPoint presentation illustrating the 2017 Preliminary Budget.  Historically, this task fell to the Town Comptroller, at least in my recollection.  Supervisor Conway did an excellent job.

The 2017 Preliminary Budget complies with the NYS Tax Levy Cap (thanks to available carryover), reportedly yields a Tax Levy (NOT Tax Rate) increase of 1.47% and includes:

• Accounting software and audits;
• 5 new DPW positions (all Town retirements will be reviewed for backfilling on a case-by-case basis);
• $500,000 for Luther Road sidewalks;
• Repays $683,794 in General Fund inter-fund borrowing (Couse and Mannix Roundabout cost over-runs);
• New Police and CSEA contract settlements;
• Security windows for Receiver of Taxes and Town Clerk’s offices;
• New Town Hall website and telephone system;
• Additional road paving;
• A cleaning process to reduce odor at the WWTP.

Absent from the Preliminary Budget is funding to allow the Receiver of Taxes office to remain open during normal 8:30AM-4:30PM Town Hall Business Hours for the full year, only for select months.  The Office will close at 3:00PM otherwise.  Customer service??

However, the 1.47% Tax Levy Increase is across-the-board, including all Town-levied taxes and two fire companies.  But no one pays this, as there are four sewer districts and two water districts in EG.

Including Bruen Ambulance at no increase, General Water/General Sewer District residents face a 2.5% increase; General Water/Couse Sewer +3.05%; General Water/3^rd Avenue Sewer +3.00% and Hampton Manor +1.44%.  Residents outside of the Sewer and Water Districts + 2.51% based on the General and Highway Funds alone.

Also, Best Luther Fire increases $2,040 (2.0%) and 3rd Ave Fire +$160 (2.2%)

Definitely not 1.47%.  Onerous?  I’ll let you decide.

FYI, Rensselaer County’s Budget Property Tax Levy increase is reported at 1.61%.

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

Reminder!

10/24/16 EG Town Board Special Meeting

The following were adopted unanimously except where noted.

206-2016 Adopt Preliminary Budget for 2017 Mary Ann Matters voted “No”, based on numerous issues she identified with the 2017 Preliminary Budget.

207-2016 Award Outfall Upgrade Contract No. 1 and Reject Bids for Paving and Landscaping Contract No. 2 for Town of East Greenbush Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Project

208-2016 Authorizing Supervisor to Execute a Memorandum of Agreement Between Town of East Greenbush and Council 82 AFSCME/AFL-CIO/Local 1571 – East Greenbush eliminating EGPD residency requirement

209-2016 Authorizing Purchase of FP PostBase85 Postage Meter

210-2016 Approving and Ratifying a Settlement Agreement Among Town of East Greenbush, Civil Service Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000/AFSCME/AFL-CIO, and a Town Employee

* * * * *

I have problems concerning 206-2016 Adopt Preliminary Budget for 2017 when viewed in conjunction with the 6:00PM 11/3/16 Budget Hearing.  The Budget Hearing is the earliest in my recollection, a full week before the 11/10/16 statutory deadline!, yielding a scant 10 days for public review.   

EG1ST’s (Conway/Grant/Tierney) website states “A lack of transparency has plagued our Town government.  Officials have failed to share the information that has shaped their decisions.  Public input has not been properly solicited and often ignored.” and “Seek and respect input from residents.” 

To quote Bob Dylan, “the times they are a changin”.

I requested a spreadsheet version of the published 2017 Tentative Budget via email to Supervisor Conway (10/19/16) to no avail or reply.  I also requested a spreadsheet version of the published 2017 Preliminary Budget at the 10/24/16 Meeting and via email to Supervisor Conway (10/26/16) to no avail or reply.  I FOILed same on 10/26/16.

Even if my requests were granted, there’d be precious little time to evaluate the 2017 Preliminary Budget.

Pete Stenson

East Grenbush

Happy Halloween!!

9.21.16 East Greenbush Town Board Meeting – Part 2

The following were enacted unanimously except where noted.

182-2016 Authorize the Supervisor to Sign a New Contract with the Civil Service Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. AFL-CIO, Town of East Greenbush Unit #8257 of the Rensselaer County Local #842

183-2016 Provisionally Appoint Roger Sharp to the Position of Laborer in the Department of Public Works

184-2016 Recognizing October as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” and October 19, 2016 as “East Greenbush Goes Purple Day”

185-2016 Authorizing the Supervisor to Sign a Technical Service Change Order (TSCO) for Construction Administration and Inspection Services Tabled.

186-2016 Approving the Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination Policy for the Town of East Greenbush

187-2016 Authorizing the Supervisor to Execute a Personal Services Contract with Terence Sharp for Professional Operations Assistance at the Wastewater Treatment Plant

188-2016 Scheduling a Public Hearing to Consider Extending the General Water District to Include Certain Premises Known as 150 Ridge Road, owned by Kamal Swami and Avani Swami 6:45PM on 10/19/16

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

 

Town Hall Notices

Public Hearings Rescheduled Posted: 17 Oct 2016 08:44 AM PDT The Public Hearings originally scheduled for Wednesday, October 19, 2016 have been rescheduled for November 16, 2016. The following Public Hearings were for: - Ratify and Affirm the Town of East Greenbush Land Subdivision Regulations and Further Amend Section 4 of the Town of East Greenbush Land Subdivision Regulations- Code of Ethics

Fall Shredder Day with City of Rensselaer Posted: 17 Oct 2016 09:29 AM PDT The Town of East Greenbush teams up with the City of Rensselaer for Fall Shredder Day. November 5th 2016 10 AM-1 PM 62 Washington Street Rensselaer, NY Do you have confidential papers and files you need to dispose of? See the link to flyer below. Fall Shredder Day with Rensselaer

9.21.16 East Greenbush Town Board Meeting – Part 1

The following were enacted unanimously except where noted.

167-2016 Recognizing September as “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month” and September 28, 2016 as “East Greenbush Goes Gold” Day in memory of Sean Jucha

168-2016 Recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Friday October 21, 2016 as East Greenbush Goes “Pink” Day

169-2016 Honoring Daniel Edward Farley on his Achievement of the Rank of Eagle Scout Congratulations!

170-2016 Honoring William David Lindemann on his Achievement of the Rank of Eagle Scout Congratulations!

171-2016 Authorizing Certification of the Base Percentages, Current Percentages, Current Base Proportions and Adjusted Base Proportions

172-2016 Authorizing a Contract with Web Instinct to Upgrade the Town Website

173-2016 Authorizing a Website Maintenance Agreement with Web Instinct

174-2016 Update and Reconsolidate the Town Code and Provide for its Posting on the Town Website

175-2016 Authorizing the Expenditure of an Amount not to Exceed $15,000.00 to Match Funding Provided by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to Study the Source of Contamination at the Pond in the Town Park Councilperson Matters opposed.

176-2016 Awarding Engagements to Perform Audit Services for 2015 Financials Audit and 2013 Single Audit

177-2016 Approving the 2017 Policy Year Changes for CDPHP

178-2016 Authorize a Public Auction of Surplus Equipment two Police cars

179-2016 Scheduling a Public Hearing to Ratify and Affirm the Town of East Greenbush Land Subdivision Regulations and Further Amend Section 4 of the Town of East Greenbush Land Subdivision Regulations 6:30PM on 10/19/16

180-2016 Authorizing Delaware Engineering to solicit Bids for the Town of East Greenbush Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall Piping and Paving Project

181-2016 Authorize Various General Construction, Electrical, HVAC, and Plumbing-related Contracts under Request for Bids #16-3

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

East Greenbush Proposed Code of Ethics – UPDATE

Last evening’s (9/21/16) Ethics Law Public Hearing clarified one issue I had with the proposal.  Pursuant to Section 16(f), Town employees will not be prohibited from being from being Committee Members “in a political party represented on the election ballot.”  Rather, employees will be banned from being members of a committee’s Executive Committee, i.e., Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary or Treasurer.  The proposal should be more specific.

However, pursuant to Section 16(g) members of Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Ethics; Commissioner of Public Works; Town Comptroller; Assessor; Director of Planning and Zoning; and Deputy Supervisor are banned from being a member of a political committee.  Pursuant to Section 16(j), such employees would have to vacate their Town position or Committee membership by 1/1/17.

Most enlightening/disturbing, was a statement read on behalf of the Ethics Board by its Chair, Kathleen Luria.  I quote.  “I want to be clear so that town residents understand that the version which is the subject of tonight’s public hearing is not the version put forward by the BOE.  It is the town board’s draft which includes the provisions that we rejected for the reasons I enumerated earlier [note: Sections 16(g) and 16(j)].”  The very Board charged with administering the proposed Ethics Code disagrees with certain of its provisions.

Ms. Luria also quoted then BOE Chair and current Town Supervisor Jack Conway’s 10/26/12 BOE resignation letter: “there is a fundamental conflict of interest in having the town board write the code of ethics that is supposed to regulate the conduct of its own members.”  This is exactly what it did, according to Ms. Luria.

Miles’ Law states “Where you stand depends on where you sit.”  So true!

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

East Greenbush Proposed Code of Ethics

The East Greenbush Town Board is holding a Public Hearing on September 21, 2016 at 6:15 p.m. concerning amendments to the Town Code of Ethics. 

The proposed amendments would prohibit Town employees from being Committee Members “in a political party represented on the election ballot.”  Whither the 1^st Amendment?

This prohibition is far more restrictive than those contained in the current Ethics Law, which are more restrictive than those contained in the NYS Office of the State Comptroller’s “Model Code of Ethics for Local Governments”.

For the record, I strongly support, endorse and demand ethical behavior by elected and appointed officials at ALL levels of government. 

I also, as Chair of the East Greenbush Democratic Committee, strongly support and endorse the local party Committee structure.  Committees find qualified candidates for local office, carry petitions to get them on the ballot and help elect them.  Ditto State and Federal candidates.  Any enrolled party member can perform these same duties!  This is democracy in action!

Reminds me of the spate of voter ID laws enacted in many States to eliminate voter fraud – a non-existent problem.  Courts have stricken down many of these laws!

The proposed Ethics Law addresses a similarly non-existent problem – campaigning in Town Hall! 

Overreach?  The Town Board recently allowed the DPW Commissioner to reside in Rensselaer, Albany, Washington or Columbia County. 

The proposed Ethics Law would prohibit DPW Commissioners from being party Committee Members in their home town, even though they may live in the far reaches of these adjacent counties! 

Also, the Town Board intends to review its residency requirement as it applies to all Town positions.  More outsourcing of Town jobs? 

The Town Board’s overreach is outrageous and must stop now! 

Pete Stenson, Chair

East Greenbush Democratic Committee

Never forget those who perished in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon or the field in Shanksville, PA!!

Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

Public Notice: Rensselaer County IDA Public Hearing

Rensselaer County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is holding a public hearing on a new Regeneron Parking Lot on Discovery Drive this Thursday, September 1, 2016 at the East Greenbush Town Hall at 10:00 AM.

8/17/16 East Greenbush Town Board Meeting

Early shout-out to Jessica Lansing, Amy Walsh and their helpers – I’m sure the 8/20/16 EG Town Festival was great!

 

The East Greenbush Town Board unanimously adopted the following:

 

153-2016 Scheduling a Special Meeting for the Town Clerk to Present the 2017 Tentative Budget to the Town Board. Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.

 

154-2016 to Adopt a Post Bond Issuance Compliance Policy.

 

155-2016 Approving Local Law #2 of 2016 Providing That the Commissioner of Public Works May Reside in the Counties of Rensselaer, Albany, Washington or Columbia. The arrogance of power?

 

156-2016 Appointing Scott F. Gallerie to the Position of Commissioner of Public Works for a Two Year Term. – Congratulations and welcome, my prior Advertiser Letters weren’t about you.

 

157-2016 Appointing Susan F. McCarthy to the Position of Sole Appointed Assessor for a Term to Run Through December 17, 2019. Congratulations and welcome back!

 

158-2016 to Schedule a Second Public Hearing on an Amended Code of Ethics. September 21, 2016 at 6:15 p.m.

 

159-2016 Authorizing the Award for A New Dump Truck on Mini-Bid Request Number T16060025.

 

160-2016 Authorizing the Settlement of Tax Certiorari Proceeding Entitled Curtis Lumber Company v. the Town of East Greenbush for the Year 2015.

 

161-2016 Authorizing the Settlement of Tax Certiorari Proceeding Entitled MKF Land Development, LLC v. the Town of East Greenbush for the Year 2015.

 

162-2016 Authorizing the Purchase and Installation of Carpet for the Water & Sewer Office in Town Hall.

 

163-2016 Authorizing the Finance Office to Solicit Bids for Various General Construction, Electric, HVAC and Plumbing Projects.

 

164-2016 Authorizing the Finance Office to Solicit Bids for a Sidewalk Cleaner.

 

165-2016 Authorizing Susan F. McCarthy to Attend the New York State Assessors Association Conference on Assessment Administration in Lake George, NY.

 

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

East Greenbush Wants to Outsource DPW Commissioner Job – UPDATE

The following should appear in tomorrow's Advertiser.

Last evening (8/17/16), the East Greenbush Town Board was to consider (I am writing in advance, thus, the outcome is not known):

155-2016 the Commissioner of Public Works May Reside in the Counties of Rensselaer, Albany, Washington or Columbia which I opposed in last week’s Advertiser saying “at least three former DPW Commissioners and two former Deputy DPW Commissioners live here.” 

156-2016 Appointing Commissioner of Public Works “effective August 23, 2016 – August 22, 2018 at an annual salary of $85,000.”  Far more than previous EG DPW Commissioners were paid.

This appointment is problematic on two counts.

First, Section 8 of EG Local Law 3 of 1971, establishing a Department of Public Works states “The salary of the Commissioner of Public Works shall be fixed annually”.  The salary was set by this Town Board at $60,000 at the January 4, 2016 Organizational Meeting.

Second, NYS Town Law §53-c. Terms of office states “The head of a department and a deputy department head shall hold office until the first day of January next succeeding the first bi-annual town election held after his appointment, and thereafter, shall hold office for the term of two years and until his successor shall have qualified, provided, however, that the appointees to such offices shall be removable at the pleasure of the town board unless otherwise provided by local law.”  There is no provision for an “August 23, 2016 – August 22, 2018” term. 

I have absolutely nothing against the individual that the Board wishes to appoint and wouldn’t know him from Adam, but I do believe in and respect the law and process and doing things properly.  There’s a right way and a wrong way!

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

 

8/16/16 Music In the Park Cancelled

  

Due to weather conditions Music in the Park is cancelled for tonight, 8/16/16.

THE OLDIES SHOW WILL GO ON THIS THURSDAY 8/18 @6 PM.

BE SURE TO JOIN US! 

East Greenbush Wants to Outsource DPW Commissioner Job

The East Greenbush Town Board has scheduled a Public Hearing at 6:30 PM on August 17, 2016 on a Local Law to eliminate the residency requirement for the Commissioner of Public Works.

The Town Board has previously bypassed NYS Town Law §23 by resolution.  §23 requires that every officer “shall be an elector of the town” and lists numerous town- and position-specific exclusions, enacted into Law by the NYS Legislature.  There is; however, case law to support the Town Board’s proposal.  Ditto informal Attorney General opinions.

Evidently no one in East Greenbush is qualified to fill the position, despite the fact that at least three former DPW Commissioners and two former Deputy DPW Commissioners live here.  Whether they applied for the vacant position is not known by me at this time.  Some did their job better than others and could do so again. 

When you write ‘gold standard’ position qualifications, you may have to go beyond the Town’s border to find qualified applicants.  On the other hand, Town residents are vested and invested in their towns. 

The rumored non-resident appointee, who shall remain nameless, earned far more in 2015 than previous EG DPW Commissioners.  Will we taxpayers have to pony up more than the $60,000 approved by the Town Board at the 1/4/16 Organizational Meeting to achieve the ‘gold standard’?

I do not know the individual and this is not about him or her.  Do we want East Greenbush to outsource its jobs? 

I left the 8/3/16 Special Meeting with the impression that the Town Board may move to eventually eliminate the residency requirement for all non-elected Town positions. 
 
East Greenbush is the largest town in Rensselaer County.  Surely our residents are qualified to work for our town. Pete Stenson
East Greenbush

EG Town Festival

Public Notice: Special Meeting

The Town Board of the Town of East Greenbush will hold a Special Meeting on August 4, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall, 225 Columbia Turnpike, Rensselaer, NY 12144 for the purpose of scheduling a public hearing on a Local Law to waive the residency requirement for the Commissioner of Public Works.

2016 Music in the Park Summer Concert Series

Notice of Public Hearing - Code of Ethics

"We're very proud of the amended Code of Ethics.  It was redrafted by the Board of Ethics and completed by the Town Board.  Thanks to Kathleen Luria and the Board of Ethics for their skill and dedication.  The entire Code has been reviewed and major changes have been made to tighten up the requirements for financial disclosure, and rewrite the rules on nepotism and political activity on the part of Town officials.  The amended Code also includes a section on the grounds for removal of a member of the Board of Ethics.  That section is designed to protect members from removal for political reasons. Overall, the amended Code of Ethics helps fulfill East Greenbush First's promise to take politics out of our Town government.  Please review and bring your thoughts and comments to the Public Hearing." - Jack  Conway

The East Greenbush Town Board has scheduled a public hearing for Wednesday July 20, 2016 at  6:15 pm. at the East Greenbush Town Hall, 225 Columbia Turnpike, Rensselaer, NY. 12144 to hear public input finalizing a new Local Law that would amend the current Code of Ethics.

By orders of the Town Board,
Kimberly Carlock, Town Clerk

To view the Draft, click Code of Ethics Draft 2016 

Have a safe and happy 4th!

Happy Father's Day

Remember all of the fathers serving our nation overseas and their families at home.

Armed Forces Day

SPECIAL Meeting Notice.

The East Greenbush Town Board will hold a Special Meeting on Monday, May 23, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at East Greenbush Town Hall, 225 Columbia Turnpike East Greenbush, NY. to discuss the water situation in Hampton Manor and the replacement of playground equipment in Hampton Manor Park. By orders of the Town Board Kimberly Carlock, Town Clerk

Happy Mother's Day

EG SEWER FEE INCREASE – CORRECTLY OR QUICKLY?

The East Greenbush Town Board has scheduled a

• Sewer Fee Increase Public Hearing for 6:00 PM on Thursday, April 28^th and 
• Special Meeting at 7:00 PM on Thursday, April 28^th to increase them.   

Why the rush?  The 2016 payment is covered by Sewer fund balances.  Isn’t correctly addressing the issue(s) better than quickly addressing them?

The Sewer Fee Increase Plan uses $1.6 million in fund balances over the next four years to mitigate those same fee increases. 

I’ve presented a plan to use $700,000 in fund balances to pay the 2017 WWTP debt service (leaving fund balances totaling $2.5 million) and fix the structural problems of the Sewer District Budgets.  ‘Buying’ this extra year gives the Town Board the time to: 

(1)   Learn whether the $1.6 million State grant application for the WWTP Upgrade is approved, possibly decreasing the EFC WWTP borrowing to $14.0 million;

(2)   Convert the General Sewer District to an Assessed Value tax basis, shifting some of the tax burden from residents to businesses and conforming the General district to the other districts;

(3)   Reapportion Operations & Maintenance (Personal Service/Contractual Expenses/Employee Benefits) costs, including the Rensselaer County Water & Sewer Authority service agreement payments, among districts based on consumption;

(4)   Restructure taxes to pay debt service, capital improvements and the RCWSA service agreement and fees and other revenues to pay O&M;

(5)   Investigate retiring existing Bond Anticipation Notes with fund balances;

(6)   Pursue refinancing existing Bonds and the RCWSA service agreement; and

(7)   Consider using remaining fund balances to phase in (3) and (4) above.

The WWTP debt service has been looming unaddressed for years.  I’m advocating resolving a number of issues in addition to the ‘immediate’ one.  Some Town Board Members agree with some of my proposals.  I’m saying to do them all before raising fees in haste.

Pete Stenson

Flush the East Greenbush Sewer Fee Increase!

The 4/13/16 East Greenbush Sewer Fee Increase Public Hearing (4/13/16) drew a full house, with supporters outnumbering opposition.  I opposed.

 

Councilperson Matters appears to be the only Board Member opposing the Sewer Fee Increase proposal.  Good for you, Mary Ann!  

The proposal would pay the $700,000 WWTP debt payment, which begins in 2017, using fund balances ($400,000/year) and fee increases (worth $300,000/year) over the next four years. 

I see the opportunity to resolve many Sewer District issues and I’ve provided the Town Board with a strategic plan which:

• Converts the General Sewer District to an Assessed-Value tax basis;
• Replaces the four $400,000/year annual WWTP debt payment fund balance usage ($1,600,000) with one or more hits totaling $700,000;
• Shifts funding of the $400,000+ in annual payments to the Rensselaer County Water and Sewer Authority from fees to taxes; and
• Supports debt and capital improvements with taxes and day-to-day Sewer District Operations& Maintenance
   
  with fees.

I also proposed investigating the allocation of the RCWSA payments and Sewer O&M, ensuring equity among the Districts.

The end result isn’t pretty, with combined Sewer tax and fee increases of General +35.5%; Hampton Manor +27.1%; Couse +31.8%; Third Avenue +18.0%.  But Sewer District funding would be correct and defensible, with fund balances remaining $900,000 larger.  These increases could be implemented over 1, 2 or 3 years, per the Town Board’s preference.

There will be another Public Hearing on 4/28/16. Tell the Town Board to Flush the Sewer Fee Increase and do this right the first time! 

Otherwise, the Sewer Fee Increases will be approved, the Town will continue raiding $400,000/year in fund balances and everything will be right in East Greenbush.  Until those fund balances run out!  Then what, folks??

Pete Stenson
East Greenbush

EAST GREENBUSH SEWER RATE PUBLIC HEARING

EAST GREENBUSH SEWER RATE PUBLIC HEARING

The East Greenbush Town Board is holding a Public Hearing concerning proposed Sewer Rate Increases at 7:00 PM on April 13, 2016.  The increases are deemed necessary to pay the annual debt service for the Waste Water Treatment Plant.
  

Supervisor Conway and Councilperson Tierney analyzed the current usage and fee structure and developed a proposal that would increase fees (the long-dormant Citizens Fiscal Advisory Committee has not reviewed the proposal).  The new fees for residential minimum users:

Couse and Third Avenue: $121.50 (+$31.50 or 35%);

General: $84.50 (+$34.50 or 69%);
Hampton Manor: $156.00 (+$52.00 or 50.0%)

One stated goal was to develop equitable billing; however, the historic bias favoring General is continued (General accounts for 52% of the 2013–15 Average Usage but only 40% of 2013–15 Average Revenue).  Absent a cost accountant's analysis, there is no defensible reason for this bias. 

Facing an unavoidable tax increase or fee increase, I‘ve long expressed my preference for a tax increase.  The rationale is straightforward.  Taxes:

(1)   Should support debt and capital improvements with fees supporting operations and maintenance.

 

(2)   Are guaranteed – the Town is 'held harmless' by the County if one’s taxes aren’t paid.  Unpaid fees are added to the next year's taxes and not available when needed.  Fee increases also yield lower usage, requiring further increases.  

 

(3)   Are paid in January, while fees are billed quarterly or semi-annually and may not be available when the debt service is due.

 

(4)   Are deductible by homeowners itemizing deductions on their Federal and State tax returns and thus subsidized, while user fees are not. 

I respectfully suggest that the Town Board defer action, have CFAC study the Sewer and Water tax and rate structures and make all truly equitable.

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

EG Water and Sewer Districts

The recently disclosed Waste Water Treatment Plant cost increases, bond cap increase, tabling of CP Matters' reso for Delaware Engineering to study the Sewer Districts and Fee-rate Structures, Board Member comments to the media, presentation of the Conway-Tierney Sewer Rate Analysis and Fee Increase Proposal http://eastgreenbush.org/news/925-sewer-district-analysis-2016 , and finally the scheduling of a Public Hearing on the Sewer Rate increases for 7:00 PM on April 13, 2016 inspires publication of Pete Stenson's EG Water and Sewer Districts series as published in the Advertiser. 

 

EG Water and Sewer Districts: PART 1 - TAXES

Councilperson Mary Ann Matters has twice unsuccessfully introduced Resolutions (36-2015 and 54-2015) to retain Delaware Engineering to Analyze and Evaluate the Town’s Sewer Districts and Fee-Rate Structures and to Recommend Changes Thereto. 

 

Supervisor Keith Langley referred the issue to the Citizens Fiscal Advisory Committee which determined that its members didn’t have the requisite knowledge.

I’ll share my analyses in a series of letters, based on 32+ years of budgeting experience.

The General Water and General Sewer Districts (GW&GSD) levy taxes based on Units (pipe footage) rather than Assessed Value (AV) which is used by the other Water and Sewer Districts.

The Unit-based approach has some businesses paying lower taxes than residents, e.g., Dunkin Donuts on Columbia Turnpike pays $249 on 89.16 Units, while I pay $308 on 110 Units.  An AV-based tax using our respective $644,300 and $217,600 AVs would have Dunkin Donuts pay $792 (+$543) and me $267 (-$41). 

Some taxpayers would pay more using AV, others less, depending on their property’s Units and AV.  To estimate your impact, multiply Units from your tax bill (http://egov.basny.com/EastGreenbush/) by 2,270.  Results higher than AV means lower taxes, results lower than AV means higher taxes, e.g., my 110 Units x 2,270 = 249,700. 

 

Changing to AV would appropriately and equitably reflect future residence and business additions and Town-wide reassessments, place all taxing jurisdictions on the same AV-based approach and allow Operating and Maintenance costs to be allocated among the Districts by Total District AV. 

Ditto the ‘dreaded’ $600,000 in payments for the Waste Water Treatment Plant Upgrade debt, which would require about $0.44 more per $1,000 of AV ($88 on a $200,000 AV).  This is offset for some taxpayers by GW&GSD decreases due to changing to AV.  For example, my $217,600 AV would yield a net cost of about $55/year ($96 – $41 saved by changing to AV estimated above). 

Remember, taxes are deductible on Federal and State Tax Returns for those who itemize deductions.

Many thanks to Town Assessor Judy Goodyer for her speedy FOIL replies!

EG Water and Sewer Districts: PART 2 – FEES

As promised, following is my conceptual analysis of the Town’s Water and Sewer Districts Fees, but first my caveat that Taxes should support debt and capital improvements while Fees should support operating and maintenance (O&M) costs.  Water and Sewer fees number more than 100. I’ll not attempt to describe, let alone explain, them.

The 2015 Adopted Water (General and Hampton Manor) and Sewer (General, Hampton Manor, Couse and Third Ave.) District Budgets include $550,275 in Debt Service and $890,588 in service payments to the Rensselaer County Water and Sewer Authority for debt issued by that Authority for East Greenbush, for a total of $1,440,863.

These Budgets also include $1,663,734 in Property Taxes, $3,149,313 in Fees and $485,933 in Other Revenues.  My caveat reduces the combined tax levies by $222,871 to $1,440,863 (-13.4%), helping offset the impact of the $600,000 in 2017 WWTP Upgrade debt service mentioned in Part 1 – Taxes.

This tax cut increases fees by $222,871 to $3,420,015 (+6.5%); however, the higher volume Water and Sewer users would appropriately pay higher user fees.  Water consumption is somewhat elastic in that demand (usage) decreases as prices increases - shorter showers, fuller clothes/dish washer loads, fewer car washings, fewer lawn/garden waterings, etc.

My estimates of the resulting Tax and Fee changes, excluding allocating O&M and WWTP Upgrade debt service costs across the Districts:

• General Water: Tax +$82,610 (+18.7%) Fees -$82,610 (-4.3%)
• Hampton Manor Water: No Change
• General Sewer: Tax -$203,619 (-44.8%) Fees +$203,619 (44.4%)
• Hampton Manor Sewer: Tax -$139,207 (-53.4%) Fees +$139,207 (145.5%)
• Couse Sewer: Tax -$32,758 (-23.5%) Fees +$32,758 (+21.4%)
• Third Avenue: Tax +$70,103 (+19.1%) Fees -$70,103 (-18.6%)

I’ve not converted these Tax and Fee changes to rates per $1,000 AV or rates per 1,000 gallons or cubic feet of usage.  Suffice it to say that it can be done.

Many thanks to the Water and Sewer Departments’ Stacy Crain and Amy Binck, without whose help my analyses would not have been possible.

 

EG Water and Sewer Districts: PART 3 – SUMMARY AND SELL THE WWTP?

Summary

Part 1 – Taxes discussed changing the General Water and General Sewer Districts’ tax levy basis from Units (pipe footage) to Assessed Value (AV), which would appropriately and equitably reflect future residence and business additions and Town-wide reassessments, place all taxing jurisdictions on the same AV-based approach and allow Operating and Maintenance costs to be allocated among the Districts by Total District AV.   Part 1 also estimated the cost of the Waste Water Treatment Plant Upgrade to be about $0.44 per $1,000 of AV.

Part 2 – Fees discussed using Taxes to support debt and capital improvements and Fees to support O&M costs, transferring $222,871 in revenue from Water and Sewer District tax levies to usage fees, with higher volume Water and Sewer users appropriately paying more in fees.  These tax cuts further offset the impact of the $600,000 in WWTP Upgrade debt payments if funded via taxes.

Sell the WWTP?

Former North Greenbush Supervisor Jim Flanigan asked “Why do you have a Treatment Plant?” at the 4/29/15 Fiscal Responsibilities of Elected Officials Forum and suggested selling it to the Rensselaer County Sewer District (RCSD), which raised rates 17.5% in January). 

EG’s current minimum quarterly sewer charge is $12.50 for General and Hampton Manor (Metered) customers and $22.50 for Third Ave and Couse customers for up to 10,500 gallons (a 12/17/14 proposal to raise Sewer rates failed).  RCSD’s minimum charge is $46.40 per quarter ($33.90 and $23.90 more respectively) for up to 13,875 gallons. 

During the 8/1/14-1/31/15 period 3,728 of the 10,700 EG sewer bills issued (35%) were for the minimum charge.  These customers would have paid about $113,000 more with RCSD!  Double that and we’re talking $226,000 for the full year! 

Folks, that’s 37.6% of the WWTP’s $600,000 debt service payment!  AND we’d still have to support debt service and O&M costs on the non-WWTP infrastructure! AND we’d have many future RCSD rate increases to look forward to, while the WWTP’s $600,000 debt service won’t change!

Sell the WWTP to RCSD?  NO THANKS!

Pete Stenson
East Greenbush