Village Board Minutes

March 21, 2023 (47)

A special meeting of the Village Board, budget workshop, was held March 21, 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 Coltrain & Trustee Halliday were present.

Clerk-Treas Colson presented the 2023/2024 tentative budget to the Board as filed March 16, 2023.

The General Fund budget proposal is a $131,249 decrease over last year’s budget and increases the tax rate to $5.72 per thousand, a 10% increase over 2022/2023.  Expected appropriated fund balance is $298,864.  The tentative budget proposes cancellation of the Special Protection Contract with Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department after the June payment for a savings of $126,085.

Due to the settlement with Indeck which decreased the assessed valuation of the plant to $7.5 million and required the Village to pay refunds of $1,142,850 the Village’s overall tax base and fund balance were significantly reduced.  

The tentative budget includes purchase of a new sidewalk plow from the Reserve fund at approximately $230,000.  No expenditures for DPW 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.   No contribution to the DPW Reserve is planned for 2023/2024.

The tentative budget also includes a Fire Department 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 is included for the future purchase of a fire truck and replacement air packs.

The Water Fund budget is a $13,509 decrease from last year.  The Sewer Fund budget is a $228,557 increase over last year due to a potential debt payment of $414,117 and increases to chemical treatment costs.  Clerk-Treas Colson pointed out that the debt payment had not been finalized by the Village and EFC and could potentially be lower than projected depending on the Village’s choices in repayment schedules.  The only proposed equipment purchase is the replacement of a 2012 pick-up truck to be split between the water & sewer funds.  Water Minimum Value Charges are expected to decrease by $17 per year, while usage charges will decrease by $0.26 per thousand gallons for water.  Sewer Minimum Value Charges are expected to increase by $89 and increase by $3.92 per thousand gallons for sewer.

Due to the settlement with Indeck which decreased the assessed valuation of the plant to $7.5 million and required the Village to pay refunds of $1,142,850 the Village’s overall tax base and fund balance were significantly reduced. 

The Board discussed the necessity to proceed with caution this fiscal year and attempt to preserve as much fund balance as possible while attempting to minimize the increased tax burden on the taxpayers.  After much discussion and deliberation, the Board instructed Clerk-Treas Colson to modify the tentative budget to preserve the Sheriff’s Special Protection Contract in its entirety and remove the $225,000 Fire Department Reserve contribution.  The Board also decided a third Fire Chief vehicle was not a necessity at this time and requested Clerk-Treas Colson remove $55,000 from the Fire Department equipment line.  The Board instructed Clerk-Treas Colson to explore additional options to reduce the water and sewer rates and present all requested changes at the next budget workshop to be held March 29^th at 6:00 PM in the Village Hall.

Motion by Trustee Brown, seconded by Trustee Halliday, that Board adjourn, 6:53 PM.
Carried – 4- 0

Nicole M. Colson
Clerk-Treasurer