TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY
PUBLIC HEARING BUDGET 2023
THURSDAY 11/10/2022 6:00 PM
ROBERT YATES, SUPERVISOR PRESENT
LOUISE ORTMAN, COUNCIL PRESENT
DICK SENA, COUNCIL PRESENT
STEVE SENSKE, COUNCIL PRESENT
MIKE PFEIL , COUNCIL PRESENT
OTHERS PRESENT: Clayton & Helen Emick; Benny Karlson, Deputy Highway Sup’t.; Stephanie Gibbs, Deputy Town Clerk; Katie Zimmer, Court Clerk; Lori Holder, Court Clerk
- PUBLIC HEARING 2023 PRELIMINARY BUDGET
Mr. Yates brought the hearing to order at 6:00 PM with the Pledge.
Mr. Karlson said a Prayer
Mr. Yates said we could go up to a tax cap of $3.01 which the town stayed well under this year. He said the cost per thousand this year went up one cent. Mr. Yates said we have a good cushion in the reserve, and we like to have that for the unexpected. He asked the board if they have anything to add to the budget.
Mr. Sena said they have met several times and came in with a little difficulty with the highway because of the cost of fuel, blacktop and gravel going up. He said he feels like they did a good job covering that.
Mrs. Ortman said with everything going up as in the cost of living, gas, and groceries she is proud of the budget and what they were able to do with it to keep the taxpayers cost down.
Mr. Senske said we must maintain the highways and keep the equipment up to date and maintain the building to prevent leaving future generations with a mess. He said we must maintain health insurance and he believes they did their best to accommodate the employees.
Mr. Yates said our number one focus is the safety of the town. He said Mr. Emick asked him earlier if we budgeted to have the town audited. Mr. Yates said he did not budget for that. He said they have asked for audits, and they were told they would have to have a cause or a reason. He said if we feel the need to do one, he doesn’t have a problem discussing it.
Mr. Emick said the turnover from the previous year is $192,000.00 he said it was apparently enough last year and it looks like it was increased by another $144,000.00. He said the county sales tax is projecting a $128,000.00 increase so we are looking at a cushion of $273,000.00
Mr. Yates said it is in case of an emergency and for the highway because they need to start building a reserve for the highway. He said $100,000.00 is being turned over to the highway for a truck.
Mr. Emick asked why it wasn’t just added to the highway budget.
Mr. Senske said the state wanted a reserve fund to be created.
Mr. Emick said the budget doesn’t seem to be lined up correctly on page one. He said there seems to be a lot of changes for the Town Clerk including a $26,000.00 increase from last year.
Mr. Yates said AOT informed the town they had to assign an amount of money to the Town Clerk. He said Mrs. Gibbs would be running as deputy clerk for this next year and if the board decides to appoint her before then they needed to have money available there. Mr. Yates said the Deputy is now full time versus part time with an increase and is working 5 days a week, all the meetings and Thursday evening hours which explains the Deputy Clerk increase.
Mr. Emick asked about the Attorney contractual increase.
Mr. Yates said they had to. He asked if anyone else had anything to add to the budget.
- MOTION # 160 OF 2022
MR. YATES MOTIONED TO ADJOURN THE 2023 BUDGET HEARING AT 6:30 PM. MRS. ORTMAN SECONDED. YES (5): SENA, ORTMAN, SENSKE, PFEIL, YATES. NO (0). THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.
Stephanie Gibbs
Deputy Town Clerk
