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Cold Spring Board Presents Budget of $1.69 Million
Tax rate increase could be over 16% but Trustees to work to try and lessen increase
by Kevin Foley
The Cold Spring Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved a preliminary budget last week that would require a 16.4% tax increase. And they vowed at the same time to spend two weeks finding ways to reduce the budget to avoid such a large increase. At a Village Hall public hearing before an audience of approximately fifteen on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 the Trustees, as required by law, presented a proposed $1.69 million budget for the new fiscal year beginning June 1. On April 29, at another public hearing, the trustees will vote on a final budget to fund village operations.
"The tax level of this budget is unacceptable," observed Trustee Edward Mancari, the longest serving trustee and the one most responsible for budget matters. He urged his fellow trustees to dig in over the next fourteen days to find ways to cut the budget plagued with rising expenses and falling revenue.
"Whatever changes we make we'll have to make real cuts, it's hard to just whittle things down on individual items; there's little fluff," said Seth Gallagher, who continued to advocate for reforms of the village accounting process. "There is a disjuncture in the budget as we pass it and what we actually end up spending," he said as he pointed to the variance between the budgeted numbers and the higher actual spending in past year's budgets.
Gallagher said he wanted to see a budget process that would keep the trustees informed as to how the budget was operating, month-to-month measured against the previous year, so they could approve any spending that exceeded projections before it was happened.
"Like most municipalities and school districts, our biggest expenses are salaries, pension costs and premiums for health insurance,' said Mancari. "We'll have to look at personnel and consider a freeze, or flextime or other possibilities. You have to look at salaries, that's where the savings will be."
Newly-elected trustee Gordon Robertson, an insurance professional, said he was still examining the village's insurance expenses and was hopeful some savings were possible.
Mayor Anthony Phillips announced that he had reached an agreement with the Cold Spring Fire Company regarding the cost of new electrical generator and grant money the fire company was awarded. The company will write a check for $7,500 to the Village this year with the Village committed to revisiting the $25,000 annual appropriation for the fire company during the two fiscal years after the one set to begin June 1. The Mayor said this closed any dispute and that the dialogue with the company had been productive.
Phillips said he too was committed to cutting the budget to reduce any needed tax cut. He then pointed out that the village budget often suffered strain when unexpected items were imposed on it. "We were recently tagged with responsibility for a gas plant that operated in 1850. The DEC (state Department of Environmental Conservation) decided it has to be cleaned up so we're responsible for a part of it," said Phillips. The Mayor said the estimated expense was $24,000.
Village Treasurer Barbara Rudolph said that not only had heating oil and gasoline costs risen sharply but that virtually anyone who delivers supplies to the village now adds a fuel surcharge to their bill.
During the public hearing the trustees also approved the budgets for both water and sewer services which are accounted for separately and reflect the usage charges levied on residents and businesses. In addition, there was a separate vote approving an increase in Fireman's Service Awards for firefighters that qualify based on service and training. The awards were created after a village vote. They serve, according to Trustee Mancari, "as a form of pension" and are part of the general budget, although they are a separate category on residents' tax bill.
After their budget votes the trustees continued their budget discussion in their regular workshop format.
Gallagher proposed the various village departments make conservation of gasoline a priority and he urged the Village to adopt more stringent supervision over gasoline consumption to make certain reports reflect accurately official use. "The Board should get a monthly report. Gas in the budget is sometimes buried or bundled in with other items. It's hard to know what each department uses monthly," he said.
Mr. Gallagher also stressed that more work was needed to save money in the current budget year. He expressed his exasperation that some budget lines were over their budgeted amounts.
Trying to generate more discussion by his fellow board members, Gallagher reminded them he had brought up current budget savings a month ago and that they had to make a real effort to save money. He then suggested that the Police Department consider more walking patrols with less use of the village vehicles to save on fuel and repairs. Mayor Phillips said a greater foot presence on Main Street was being discussed but that officers needed to always be near the car to respond to emergency calls.
Depot proprietor Tom Rolston asked the trustees to consider two revenue suggestions: a local tax on hotel rooms, which he said had been successful in Brewster, and the introduction of paid parking.
Gordon Robertson said he thought parking meters were a good idea but that "other places have had problems because they jumped in too soon. We need to be sure the scale is sufficient." He urged waiting until the Comprehensive Plan was developed.
Mike Armstrong, a member of the Comprehensive Plan Special Board Working Group on Government, Infrastructure, who has studied the parking question most closely said: "There's a lot of ways to do it to maximize revenue. But you have to look at it comprehensively." Armstrong proposed that private property lots be utilized in a revenue-sharing arrangement as well as village streets and lots to create a master parking plan. He said it was important to include all streets in the planning so you don't negatively impact people who live just outside any parking zone.
"This is the largest single revenue opportunity the village has," said Armstrong. It could [be] several hundred thousand dollars a year."
Trustee Mancari said a telephone cell tower on Village Water Department property could also generate substantial revenue but he acknowledged such an idea was usually unpopular.
Seth Gallagher reported that the planned April 29 Earth Day forum has been cancelled so the trustees can continue to address fiscal matters.
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