TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY
TOWN BOARD BUDGET 2022 WORK SESSION
MONDAY, 11/1/2021, 6:30 PM
ROBERT YATES, SUPERVISOR PRESENT
RICHARD SENA, COUNCIL PRESENT
LOUISE ORTMAN, COUNCIL PRESENT
STEVE SENSKE, COUNCIL PRESENT
MIKE PFEIL, COUNCIL PRESENT
OTHERS PRESENT: Robin Miller, Bookkeeper; Nancy Thomas, Town Clerk
Mr. Yates brought the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.
General Fund Appropriations:
- Justice A1110.1.3 – $4,000 addition for clerk (Laurie Holder) to assist Katie Zimmer as Deputy Clerk Stow is in ill health.
- Other General Gov’t. Support 1989.4 – increase from $5,000 in 2021 to $20,000 in 2022 (Old Contingency Fund). Office of the State Comptroller has suggested that the town not do intra-fund transfers at the end of the year but instead use Contingency Fund. This is an increase of $15,000.
- Dog Control A3510 – increase A3510.1 from $1,500 to $4,200 (only to be used if hours are worked). 3510.2 Enumeration: addition $3,500 to be done by mail with DCO doing spot door to door checks after.
- Highway Building A5132 – increase of $4,000 for door and lighting issues and purchase of security camera for building. Discussion of light on the pole across from the building (discussed with National Grid and should have been installed prior).
- Library A7410.4 – increase of $2,500 since budget decreased in 2021 due to Covid concerns. Library request was reviewed.
- Police A3120.4 – increase of $1,000 (court security capped at $8,000) – total budget amount $9,000
- Planning & Zoning A8020 – reduced total from $18,600 to $14,750 (added $4,500 to .4 for update Comprehensive Plan).
- Chautauqua Lake A8510.4 – $10,000 increase for lake issues.
- BOCES Road Push – BAN payable by BOCES only; renewal for 2021-22 will be approximately $32,000.
- A1620.2 Building – Suggested cutting this from $5,000 to $2,500 based on current expenditures.
- A1650.2 Central Communications – Suggested cutting this $2,500 based on current expenditures.
- Meeting needs to be held with Planning Board to discuss updating Comprehensive Plan (quote from Don McCord $20,000). Suggest going out to bid on this. Can ARPA funds be used for this since it is infrastructure related?
Highway Fund Appropriations:
- CHIPS DA5112 – Definite amounts cannot be given for the budgeted year, but Mrs. Miller indicated she is confident we will receive the additional $115,000 budgeted but will not get the amounts until June of 2022. Expenditures will show in November/December this year.
TOWN BOARD
11/1/2021 (Pg. 2)
- Snow Removal DS5142.4 (reduce from $140,000 to $120,000) – Discussed and agreed to lower this by $20,000 based on actual amounts spent and remaining in 2021 budget. Discussed placing some of those savings in Capital Reserve fund for highway equipment purchases. It was discussed that any left-over funds in the Snow Removal account in 2021 could be earmarked for the Capital Reserve Fund for equipment. Any funds moved to Capital Reserve should be moved at the end of the year when operating costs have been satisfied. It was discussed that it would be good to at least use some of this to lower the budget and the burden on the taxpayer. Board agreed to lower total Snow Removal by $20,000 and discuss amount for Capital Reserve in December.
There was lengthy discussion of a revaluation.
- Discussion of City of Jamestown Highway Department vacation, raises, and health insurance costs in comparison to ours.
- MOTION # 167 OF 2021
MR. SENSKE MOTIONED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 2022 PRELIMINARY BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY ON MONDAY 11/8/2021 AT 6:00 PM AT THE TOWN BUILDING, 5350 STOW ROAD, ASHVILLE. MR. SENA SECONDED. YES (5):
SENA, ORTMAN, SENSKE, PFEIL, YATES. NO (0). THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.
- MOTION # 168 OF 2021
MR. SENA MOTIONED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED LOCAL LAW #4-2021, A LOCAL LAW EXTENDING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION, INSTALLATION AND/OR PERMITTING OF SOLAR FARMS IN THE TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY ON MONDAY 11/8/2021 AT 6:45 PM AT THE TOWN BUILDING, 5350 STOW ROAD, ASHVILLE. MR. SENSKE SECONDED. YES (5):
SENA, ORTMAN, SENSKE, PFEIL, YATES. NO (0). THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.
- MOTION # 169 OF 2021
MR. SENA MOTIONED TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO SIGN THE DEED TO SELL TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3445 OLD BRIDGE RD., STOW, NY 14785 (SBL# 332.16-1-42, 43, 52) AND KNOWN AS THE COMMUNITY BUILDING TO MIKE GIARRIZZO FOR THE SUM OF $118,000.00 AS NO PETITION ON REFERENDUM HAS BEEN FILED IN THE CLERKS OFFICE AS OF 10/16/2021. MRS. ORTMAN SECONDED. YES (5): SENA, ORTMAN, SENSKE, PFEIL, YATES. NO (0). THE MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
- MOTION # 170 OF 2021
ON A MOTION MADE BY MR. SENSKE, SECONDED BY MRS. ORTMAN AND NONE BEING OPPOSED THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:10 PM.
Nancy Thomas
Town Clerk