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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1968_11_13 Town Board Minutes MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF MAMARONECK, HELD NOVEMBER 13, 1968, IN THE AUDITORIUM OF THE WEAVER STREET FIREHOUSE, WEAVER STREET, TOWN OF MAMARONECK. CALL TO ORDER The Supervisor called the meeting to order at 8:15 p. m. ROLL CALL Present: Supervisor Kane Councilwoman Helwig Councilman Chalif Councilman Faiola Councilman Nagel Absent: None Also Present: Mr. Gronberg - Town Clerk Mr. Johnston - Town Attorney Mrs. Brewer - Deputy Clerk Mr. Altieri - Comptroller Mr. Widulski - Engineer Mr. Paonessa - Building Inspector PRESENTATION OF PRELIMINARY BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 1969 The Supervisor expressed his thanks and appreciation to all those who had assisted so ably in the prepara- tion of the Preliminary Budget and proceeded with its presentation, remarking that he would review the bud- get page by page and inviting questions or comments from the floor on any page as it was presented. He referred to the informatory Summary Statement which outlined planned expenses and anticipated income and showed the monies necessary to be raised by real estate taxes as had been published in the local press and made" available in the Office of the Town Clerk and the local Libraries. He noted that all personnel expenses total $1,397, 108. which represents 70% of the net operating costs of the Town (eliminating debt service and contracted services) . These costs include the fringe benefits for all per- sonnel to be paid in full by the Town (Health Insurance, Retirement and Group Life Insurance) , plus additional personnel, certain salary adjustments, and a general - 6% increase, He then called attention to the fact that the rest of the increase in the budget was accounted for by the higher cost of doing business. However, he pointed out that the Town would be able to avoid a substantial -1- X53 additional cost burden by changing its plans for refuse disposal since it now planned to go to a compacting method rather than incineration. The million dollar expense for replacing the incineration plant there- fore would be eliminated, and refuse would now be able to be handled at a lower capital cost and a lower ope- rating cost. In addition, he said, by Spring of 1969 the air would be cleaner since all burning would cease in the first quarter of that year. The Supervisor then presented the budget page by page with the exception of pages 9, 12, 15 and 16 which were referred to Councilmen Chalif, Nagel and Helwig respectively. In presenting the Engineer ' s Budget (page 10) the Supervisor raised the question of the possibility of an arithmetical error which was discussed at some length by the Board. The following questions and comments were raised from the floor during this presentation of the Preliminary Budget: Budget for Town Attorney - - (page 9) Mr. Howard Podell inquired, since the salary of the Town Attorney was a General Town charge, whether the said Town Attorney was available to the Village Attor- neys - - and also, approximately what percentage of his time was devoted to village affairs. In reply, Councilman Faiola pointed out that the Town Attorney was a part-time attorney and that he was available to the village attorneys for consultation in Town-Village matters, but not as a substitute for either counsel. As to the percentage of time spent on matters of mu- tual service, Councilman Chalif who had presented the Town Attorney' s budget stated that this was indeed difficult to ascertain since it was an extremely variable factor dependent on these matters in any one given year. The Town Attorney in clarifying this statement at Mr. Podell ' s request, indicated that pos- sibly an approximate 20% figure for 1968 might be used due to the "land-under-water grant", the acquisition of property for the new school, the Youth Council, and the Beautification Program during the current year. Recreation Budget - - (pages 15 & 16) Mrs. Harry Clark, Mr. Roland Kenton, Mrs. C. McEvily and Mr. Frank Claps raised questions with respect to -2- 35 the fees for and usage of the new Hommocks pool. Fol- lowing Councilwoman Helwig ' s review of this Budget she replied to these queries in accordance with projected schedules and plans formulated on a "guess-estimate" basis by the Recreation Superintendent and a Mr. Ford Winter who would serve as Pool Director for the Recre- ation Commission and also for the Board of Education. She suggested, however, that the inquiries be address- ed to the Recreation Superintendent, Mr. Kronenberger, who would be present at the Budget Hearing on December 4th since he was far better versed in this detailed information than she. Police Budget - - (page 20) Mr. Kenton reiterated his objection to line item #416 - "Proposed Surveys and Studies" - pointing out that he had expressed in great detail at the last meeting of the Board his strong objections to the expenditure of any sum of money whatsoever for an outside survey of the Police Department and that his feelings and views on the subject had not changed an iota, which fact he requested be noted in the record of this meeting. Councilwoman Helwig pointed out that this appropri- ation included expenditures for other items than the proposed study, such as replacement of traffic signs in compliance with new State law requirements, traf- fic studies of certain key locations in the Town, etc. Councilmen Nagel, Chalif and Faiola supplemented Coun= cilwoman Helwig ' s remarks, pointing out that the inclu- sion in this appropriation of the cost of such a study as had been proposed did not mean that it must be authorized, but that funds would be available should it be deemed that such a study was both necessary and advisable for serving the best interest of all of the residents of the community. Trustee Kenneth Wanderer inquired about the proposed traffic study with respect to the Larchmont Station, stating that he felt such a study was needed on both sides of the station and inquiring as to the possi- bility of any kind of joint venture in this field. In reply Councilman Nagel stated that this matter might be considered by the Joint Committee since in any combined projects Federal funds became available to the municipalities served. Street Lighting District #1 Budget - - (page 32) Mr. Frank Claps and Mr. Joseph Mirabella inquired about the completion date for new wiring in those areas of the Town where this had not yet been improved and also about the absence of lighting on Park Hill Lane, Bonnie Way, etc. all of which questions were referred to the attention of the Town Engineer. -3- In response to the Supervisor' s question as to whether anyone else wished to be heard on any part of the Pre- liminary Budget, Mr. William J. Gerety of Chatsworth Gardens Apartments addressed the Board to inquire whether the 21% item in the Summary for Personnel Costs was a stable figure noting that the ever-rising taxes would in time force all except the fortunate few to leave this community. In reply, it was pointed out that while it was certain- ly hoped that this might represent a stable figure, it was virtually impossible to make any such prediction in consideration of today' s inflationary national eco- nomy, labor unions demands, and the current job supply and demand ratio. And thereupon since no one else wished to be heard and the Board signified that it was ready for the question, on motion by Councilman Faiola, seconded by Councilman Chalif, the following resolution, upon roll call, was adopted by unanimous vote of the Board with all members present and voting: RESOLVED, that this Town Board does hereby prepare and approve as the Pre- liminary Budget of this Town for the fiscal year beginning on the first day of January, 1969, the itemized state- ment of estimated revenues and expen- ditures hereto attached and made a part of this resolution; and be it further RESOLVED, that such Preliminary Budget shall be filed in the Office of the Town Clerk, where it shall be available for inspection by any interested person at all reasonable hours; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk give No- tice of such public hearing in the man- ner provided in Section 113 of the Town Law, and that such Notice be published and posted in substantially the follow- ing form: Public Notice Notice is Hereby Given, that the Prelimi- nary Budget of the Town of Mamaroneck, New York, consisting of the estimated revenues and expenditures for the year 1969, has been completed and filed in the Office of the Town Clerk of said Town, where the same may be examined by any person interested therein, and that a -4- public hearing thereon will be held by and before the Town Board of the said Town on Wednesday, December 4, 1968, at 8 :15 p. m. in the Council Room of the Weaver Street Firehouse, Weaver Street, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, at which time and place all those who appear and are interested will be given an opportunity to be heard with respect to said Preliminary Budget, or any part or item thereof. Please Take Further Notice, that the propos- ed salaries of the members of the Town Board are as follows : Supervisor - $8, 000. ; Town Councilmen (4) — $3, 000. each; that the pro- posed salary of the Town Clerk is $12,190. ; that the proposed salary of the Town Super- intendent of Highways is $12,190. ; that the proposed salary of the Town Attorney is $12, 000. ; that the proposed salary of the Town Engineer is $15,100. ; and that the Pre- liminary Budget is as follows: Summary of Preliminary Budget Estimated Appropriation Revenues Tax Levy GENERAL FUND Town Wide $583, 781. 00 $329, 609. 00 $254,172. 00 Part Town 683,712. 00 30, 932. 00 652,780. 00 HIGHWAY FUND Items 1, 2, 3, 344, 163. 00 59,870. 30 284,292. 70 4, and 5 SPECIAL DISTRICTS Garbage 216, 316. 00 - - - 216,316. 00 Water 85, 963. 00 80,963. 00 5,000. 00 Street Lighting 30,656. 00 - - - 30,656. 00 Sewer 115,370. 00 29, 370. 00 86, 000. 00 Park 88,409. 00 3,600. 00 84,809. 00 Fire 225,792. 00 5, 000. 00 220, 792. 00 By Order of the Town Board Charles J. Gronberg Town Clerk - and be it further RESOLVED, that such Notice shall be pub- lished twice in the following newspaper having general circulation within the -5- 35 Town: The Mamaroneck Daily Times, the first publication to be on or before November 22, 1968, and the second pub- lication on any day subsequent thereto and before the day of such hearing. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the meeting on motion duly made and seconded, it was declared adjourned at 10 :30 p. m. To Cl k -6-