Talking Trash And Money
By Thaddeus Flint
Stephentown adopted a 2019 budget at the Monday, November 19 Board meeting, which at $1,704,706 is 7.15% larger than the current budget. The increase of the tax rate per thousand will be just about 48 cents, or 12.048%.
While the $113,765 increase in spending might seem somewhat large, the Board still managed to keep the Town and Highway budgets under New York State’s 2% Property Tax Cap, which for Stephentown was 2.81%. Residents scratching their heads and wondering what sort of witchcraft is this where 12%, 2.81% and 2% all somehow equal the same but are somehow still different, would probably agree with Councilman PJ Roder’s opinion of “it’s nonsense.” Roder usually has a few words each year about the Empire State’s mathematics when it comes to small towns drafting a budget under oversight from above that makes doing that just about impossible. However, at just two words last Monday, it would appear he is becoming more succinct as the years pass by.
One noted change to Stephentown’s yearly budgets–now and for those to come–is the addition of the Stephentown Memorial Library as a separate Tax District. Voted on at the November elections, the final count was 567 residents for the new District and 526 against. “A very close vote,” said Councilman Gerald Robinson with some trepidation before he and the rest of the Board in attendance (Councilwoman Pam Kueppers was absent) then voted to adopt the next year’s budget.
“The voters voted,” pointed out Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt.
Maybe so, but did residents vote the District in thinking that the money usually budgeted for the Library (in 2018 this was $46,459) would then be pulled from the Town’s budget since it was now going to be a separate item on tax bills totaling $95,000? Maybe so again. “I just think the public didn’t think this $47[thousand] that’s already in the budget was going to still remain in the budget,” said Town Clerk Stephanie Wagar. “But that’s just my opinion.” As most town clerks seem to know more about what’s going on in their Towns than anyone else, that opinion is probably a pretty perspicacious one.
Not all of that $47K stayed in the budget, however, as that would have taken the Town past the whatever their version of 2% was supposed to be. Just under $30,000 will though be used to fix up some of Stephentown’s buildings. “We have to,” said Councilman Roder. “Not need to, not want to, but have to.” The Town Hall needs roof work. The Highway Department’s salt shed is crumbling. And there have been multiple dire warnings that employees up at the Transfer Station could be living scenes out of William Kennedy’s Ironweed as they try to keep warm around a burn barrel. “We have to bite the bullet,” said Roder. And so they did.
There is some good news, though, on the garbage front. Councilman Bill Jennings said the Eastern Rensselaer County Solid Waste Management Authority (ERCSWMA) contract will remain the same for 2019. As China continues to reject America’s recyclable waste, other areas around the Country are finding it cost-prohibitive to continue recycling and it’s all going into the garbage just like the old days. “It’s terrible, and everyone knows it’s terrible,” said Jennings. As for beyond 2019, the Councilman said he is “hopeful” that a solution might appear in that timeframe. However the days “of getting paid for recycling are probably not on the horizon,” Jennings added.
Also garbage related, is that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has provided the Town with the results of its recent tests at the closed landfill on Newtown Road. The agency has been testing landfills across the State. What the results are, nobody seems to know. “It’s just data,” said the Supervisor of the disc that was sent to them. A lot of data, actually. At over 12,000 pages, who knew the current story of Stephentown’s old dump would equal about 10 volumes of War and Peace. As to which would be more interesting to read, it is hoped that DEC might provide towns with a sort of Cliff’s Notes to their landfills in case there is a quiz later. Eckhardt, though, believes everything is probably fine. “I’m assuming if something was bad, they would have contacted us,” he said.
Announcements:
The Library will be holding a Holiday Market at the Fire Hall on December 1 from 2 to 5 pm. There will be raffles, food, books, and other vendors. Santa is also expected to drop by.
The Seniors will be holding their annual Tree Lighting on Sunday, December 9 at 6:30 pm at the Veteran’s Park. The old big tree that was decorated for years apparently gave up the ghost and has now been replaced by a smaller tree. A reception afterwards is expected at the Fire Hall.