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2019 Budget Workshop, October 11, 2018 1 Town of Niles 2019 Budget Workshop October 11, 2018 Niles Town Hall PRESENT: Joan Jayne, Supervisor Steven Cuddeback, Councilman Bernard Juli, Councilman Clarence Edmonds, Councilman Joseph MacDuffee, Councilman Brody Smith, Attorney (arrived at 6:30 pm) Tiffany Landis, Town Clerk OTHERS PRESENT: Pat Steger, Kelly Anderson, Roger Slater and Patrick Doyle A. Meeting called to order at 6:00 pm by Supervisor Jayne B. 2019 Budget Overview - Bookkeeper Anderson briefed the Board. A copy of the Tentative budget is on file in the Clerk's office and is available for review during normal operating hours. Bookkeeper Anderson explained the budget process. Review started with page 1 of the tentative budget. Highlights and/or changes made or recommended to the budget are listed below. a. Bookkeeper Anderson explained that there was a 2.69 percent raise which is the union rate. She applied this to all positions. b. Our auditors, Cuddy and Ward have had some substantial staff changes. Bookkeeper Anderson said she is recommending that we look for another audit service. Councilman MacDuffee stated he agreed and he thought it would be good for someone else to look at our books and processes. Bookkeeper Anderson put $10,000 in the budget for the service since she doesn't know the exact cost. She stated she is expecting this amount to go down. c. The changes put in place last year - consolidating municipal dues, central data processing, office supplies, and the cleaning contract into their own accounting lines seem to be working well. d. Dog Control used to be paid out of payroll. This service is now contracted and paid via voucher. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2019 Budget Workshop, October 11, 2018 2 e. Discussion ensued on whether mileage should be considered income and paid via payroll instead of voucher. Attorney Smith was consulted and he will get back to the board with a recommendation. There was also discussion that maybe mileage should have its own accounting line. f. Supervisor Jayne stated that four-town ambulance service increased from $11,500 to $12,925. g. Deputy Highway Supervisor salary increased from $2000 to $2500. This was not requested by the Deputy Highway Supervisor. Consensus from the Board was that the salary should be increased to more accurately reflect the responsibilities of the position. On a motion by Councilman Cuddeback and seconded by Councilman MacDuffee the following Resolution was ADOPTED Ayes Cuddeback, Edmonds, Jayne, Juli, MacDuffee Nays RESOLVED that the Deputy Highway Supervisor position salary be increased from the proposed $2000 to $2500 annually. h. Supervisor Jayne briefed the Board that Supervisor Baxter from Moravia called her and stated that Moravia is asking Moravia Central School System to take over the summer recreation program due to the fact that the Town of Moravia has lost money over the last several years and can no longer afford the program. Consensus was to leave the proposed budgeted amount of $5,500 in the 2019 budget because we don't know the outcome of the Moravia Central School decision yet. Discussion ensued that it was bad for the children that the program potentially may end but that it was a result of the times. i. Bookkeeper Anderson briefed that she reduced the funding in the Comprehensive Plan line to zero from $500 because it had been budgeted in the 2018 budget but wasn't used. Councilman Juli recommended that we keep the line because the Town's comprehensive plan needs to be updated; consensus was to put $500 in the budget. j. The Skaneateles Lake study was defunded (last year was $1000). All Board members agreed to defund this line. k. Medical Insurance - currently is funded at $30,000. Bookkeeper Anderson said that since we are now entering into a health consortium the cost will more than likely be lower. The $30,000 is a conservative estimate for planning; consensus was to leave the line at $30,000. Next year a more exact amount will be known. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2019 Budget Workshop, October 11, 2018 3 l. Superintendent Steger said the only new equipment this year is a loader. Discussion ensued about the trade in ($152,039) for our current loader and various costs. m. Capital Outlay (CHIPs and PAVE NY) has increased from $95,000 to $115,000. Superintendent Steger said that the extra $20K is from a 5 year renewal program that is going away next year. n. Clean-up days - contractual line was added to have 2 highwaymen work during the clean-up days if needed. o. Garbage contract - it is its own district. Our contract is up with WeCare. We are going out to bid. Goal is to have those bids open at the next board meeting and the contract amount will be known and can be budgeted for. Discussion ensued about how China is not accepting recyclables so the cost of recycling may be go up. Bookkeeper Anderson recapped - she is still looking for a final cost amount for the auditor cost and the garbage contract. She also asked if anyone has a question or concern about using the Union salary increase of 2.69% for all staff members to come and talk to her. Bookkeeper Anderson said she will incorporate the changes talked about into the Preliminary budget. The Public Hearing for the Preliminary Budget will be on 11/8/18 at 7:00 pm. C. Motion made by Supervisor Jayne to adjourn, seconded by Councilman MacDuffee, motion unanimously carried to adjourn at 6:55 pm. Respectfully Submitted, Tiffany H. Landis