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