by Denise Wright
The East Nassau Board of Trustees held their Budget Workshop on February 24 to review the draft budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The plan will reduce the property tax rate from $1.75 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $1.66 to avoid exceeding the state-mandated tax cap. Mayor Adam Acquario reported that the Village’s total assessed valuation went up this year following a year where it decreased.
A 3% stipend/salary increase for the Clerk, Treasurer, DPW Superintendent and Building Inspector was included in the budget. No elected Village official has received a stipend increase since 1998.
The budget’s proposed use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will begin work on the new park near the Tsatsawassa Creek and 911 address signs for Village residents. During the workshop, members clarified that ARPA funds should not be placed in the day-to-day money, but should stand alone as this money will allow the Village to use it for projects that would benefit all residents. Board members voiced concern about the possibility of using some of the ARPA funds to complete some stormwater drainage on Hayes Road instead of funding 911 signs. Acquario reported that many road work projects were completed in 2021 on Hayes Road and Webster Hill but said he hopes to complete chip sealing on Smith Hill and Webster Hill in 2023. Many road maintenance projects that had been delayed were completed this year, and the Village was fortunate to get much of it reimbursed by the State. Acquario said the proposed budget “reflects priorities and constant costs while maintaining our policy, to seed new and existing efforts” for all Village residents.
Parks received a budget of $5,000 for 2022-2023. The hope is to have a grand plan for the new park. The Climate Smart Committee has been working on possibly assisting the Village with the assistance of Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Rensselaer County Department of Soil Conservation. Demonstration gardens, water-smart gardens and appropriate foliage were all potential ideas for the site. The Board hopes to get Village residents’ input at the cookie contest in May on ideas and possible names for the park.
The final and most vivid topic of conversation was the possibility of adopting a contingency tax stabilization fund. Some Board members felt that a rainy day fund could finance certain unanticipated revenue losses or expenditures and potentially offset a tax increase, while others were reluctant to tie the Village’s financial hands because of limitations that would be imposed on the funds.
According to Mayor Acquario, the Village has never exhausted the contingency fund already in the budget, and more hurdles would not be in the Village’s best interest.
The budget will be presented at the March Board of Trustees meeting, and they hope to have a public hearing on the proposed budget on April 4 at the organizational meeting at the Hoags Corner Ambulance building.