Village Board Minutes

March 8, 2023 (44)

A special meeting of the Village Board, budget workshop, was held March 8, 2023 at 6:00 PM in the Village Hall , 244 Main Street.

Mayor Pasquarell called the meeting to order.

Roll Call: Trustee Bedell, Trustee Brown & Trustee Halliday were present.  Trustee Coltrain was excused.
Also Present: Supt Lozier & Chief Kelley (6:30 PM)

Supt Lozier presented his budget requests to the Board including a request to purchase a  new sidewalk plow from the Reserve fund at approximately $230,000.  No expenditures for equipment are expected to be made from the budget, a decrease of $110,000 over last year’s budget line.  No major projects are planned as Palmer Ave reconstruction will begin this spring.  New planter boxes will be constructed for the Beach & Pagenstecher Park entrance.  A new pick-up is planned to be purchased to replace the 2012 pick-up at approximately $25,000 split between both Water & Sewer funds.  Increases to the Sewer fund are mainly operational cost increases, including a $77,000 increase in chemicals and $12,000 increase in R&M buildings to cover maintenance agreements on blowers, HVAC, etc.  Decreases in operational costs include a $30,000 decrease in electricity and $18,000 decrease in dumping/lab fees.  There is no reserve request for DPW Equipment or Water & Sewer funds again this year.

Chief Kelley arrived at 6:30 PM and Supt Lozier was excused at 6:40PM.

Chief Kelley presented his budget requests to the Board which include an equipment request of $144,200 in order to replace smoke ejectors, hose, flow meters, thermal imaging cameras, and other miscellaneous equipment as well as upgrading one hydraulic ram and purchasing a third Fire Chief’s vehicle.  A reserve request of $225,000 will go toward the future purchase of a fire truck and replacement air packs.  Chief Kelley & the Board also discussed numerous new requirements for decontamination from fire scenes which will require converting one bay at the firehouse, running a separate sewer line, and purchasing decontamination equipment including a washer & dryer.

At 7:15 PM Chief Kelley was excused.

The Board & Clerk-Treas Colson discussed numerous other items to be included in the budget such as increased fuel costs due to current inflation, increases in proposed insurance rates as well as increases to salaries for staff.  The Board is not requesting an increase in Board and Mayor salaries at this time.  Clerk-Treas Colson also pointed out the closing of the EFC Sewer Bond to long term which results in a significant increase in the debt payment from the Sewer fund.

The Board requested Clerk-Treas Colson provide a few different scenarios for tax rate as well as requesting changes to the sewer rate calculation in order to minimize increases to rates.

Motion by Trustee Bedell, seconded by Trustee Brown, that Board adjourn, 8:17 PM.
Carried – 4 – 0

Nicole M. Colson
Clerk-Treasurer