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Nelsonville Board Approves 2005-06 Budget
First tax increase in five years for Village residents
by Dean Howell
At their May 9 monthly meeting, the Village of Nelsonville Board of Trustees announced that the budget for the upcoming fiscal year had been approved at a special budget meeting earlier in the month.
The final budget appropriation for the year is $223,243, and the amount to be raised by taxes after revenues are accounted for is $184,213. Village residents will now pay $4.70 per $1,000 of assessed home value, a 2.31% increase over the previous amount of $4.60.
Mayor Mitch Dul noted that the increase was the first one in five years for the Village, and cited health insurance, the State retirement fund, contractual obligations and other uncontrollable costs as the main reasons for the change. "This is an effort to be fiscally prudent and responsible," he explained.
Mayor Dul also announced that a $250,000 grant request for Village improvements was being held up in Congress and likely would not make its way to the Village until 2006.
"People are optimistic about this appropriations bill," observed Dul, adding that Senate approval was expected sometime this year.
In other business, the Mayor reported on a recent meeting regarding plans for the Butterfield Hospital property. The meeting included Cold Spring Mayor Anthony Phillips and Philipstown Supervisor William Mazzuca, and referred recommendations for the eventual proposal to the County.
Trustee Ande Merante recommended that the Village contact an expert regarding trees on the edge of a property on Crowne Street in the Village. "We should see if they should be trimmed, or taken down," he told the Board.
Merante also suggested that the Village consider participating in a proposal for alternative pickup of recyclables that is currently being discussed by the Philipstown Board. The new proposal would give residents the option of taking their own recycling to the landfill site on weekends.
"It’s an issue of convenience versus cost, and it’s something that we should discuss," he said. The Board agreed that that would look into the matter further after more definite costs could be ascertained.
Trustee Tom Corless told the Board that Central Hudson had been notified about streetlights that were out in the Village and were going to take care of the problem shortly.
At the end of the meeting, Mayor Dul presented former Trustee Gary Watkins with a commemorative plaque for his years of service to the Village.
"Public service is not always a picnic," noted Dul. "You do this for love of the community. Gary is someone who has that civic pride. He felt like he could make an impact, and he did."
"I’m proud of him, and proud to have worked with him," he continued. "We didn’t want this opportunity to come and go without recognizing his accomplishments."
"It’s a beautiful community, with great people," responded Watkins. The outgoing Trustee received enthusiastic applause from everyone in attendance as he accepted the plaque.
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