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2008 Town Recreation Dept. Budget Sees Slight Decrease
Chazen Engineering and Planning presents its credentials
by Mike Turton
"I'll take 'Municipal Budgetary Impossibilities' for $500 Alex." Quickly, the answer appears on the big Jeopardy board as "Never." The contestant, a champion, doesn't hesitate in providing the question. "What is …the last time a municipal department head voluntarily submitted a budget less than the previous year?" Alex responds "You're right - select again!" No doubt, with insight like that, the champion went on to defend her title. Funny thing is - the champion was wrong. But then again she didn't attend the Philipstown Budget Workshop on November 14, 2007so how could she possibly have known?
As the Philipstown Town Board Workshops to review the draft 2008 budget draw to a close, the submission by the Recreation Department stands unique to say the least. It calls for a 5% decrease in spending. Philipstown Supervisor Bill Mazucca noticed. "This is the first time in a while that it's a realistic budget." he stated. Recreation Department Supervisor Amber Stickle responded succinctly, "That was our goal."
In fact, the Recreation Department is even more unusual in that the Town Board suggested at the previous Workshop that the budget be increased - albeit slightly. Stickle obliged, adding $2,500 in order to increase the number of programs offered to senior citizens. With a total budget of just more than $950,000, the additional $2,500 will make a negligible difference in the 5% decrease. Parks and Recreation user fees are second only to the NYS Mortgage Tax in non-tax revenues raised for the Town. Projected 2008 revenues are estimated at just under $524,000.
It was a quick budget review. Stickle reported that purchasing a used school bus for transporting kids to recreation programs would have no impact on the department's liability insurance. Children have had to be turned away in the past due to transportation limitations. She also argued that when determining salaries, consideration should be given to the fact that secretaries at the recreation department have taken and passed the civil service exam. Not all secretaries and clerks employed by the Town have taken the exam. Secretaries and clerks working for the Town will receive a 3% wage increase in 2008 and a contingency fund is being set up to allow for seniority.
Snow removal at the Recreation Center is currently done by the Town Highway Department. One Town department pays the other for the service. As a result of discussions at the Workshop, Stickle may explore the option of contracting out snow removal to a local, private operator, possibly resulting in cost savings.
Prior to the budget Workshop, the Town Board heard a presentation by Nancy Clark, Director of Municipal Engineering for the Chazen Company. The firm, which has local offices in Newburgh and Poughkeepsie, provides planning, engineering and environmental services to both private and municipal clients. Regionally, Chazen has done municipal work for Putnam Valley, Yorktown, Poughkeepsie, Putnam County, and Saugerties. Philipstown has been considering hiring a firm with professional expertise to assist with planning and engineering in such fields as review of development proposals, storm water management, wetlands preservation and related areas. If hired, Chazen would provide professional consulting on a part-time, as-needed basis. A planner or engineer would work out of the Philipstown Town Hall, likely for one day or one half-day each week, acting as a resource to the Planning and Zoning Boards as well as the building department. Such a service is seen as very timely as the Open Space Protection Plan and Open Space Index are about to be adopted. Chazen will now draw up a formal proposal to present to the Town Board. They could begin working with Philipstown as early as the end of 2007 or very early in 2008.
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