1997-11-06 PH110697.PH
A Public Hearing was held by the Town Board of the Town of Wappinger on
November 6, 1997 at the Town Hall, 20 Middlebush Road, Wappingers Falls,
New York on the Preliminary Budget for the Town of Wappinger for 1998.
Supervisor Smith opened the Meeting at 7:00 P.M.
Present:
Constance Smith, Supervisor
Joseph Ruggiero, Councilman
Robert Valdati, Councilman
Vincent Bettina (arrived at 7:03 P.M.)
June Visconti, Councilwoman
Elaine H. Snowden, Town Clerk
Others Present:
Graham Foster, Highway Superintendent
The Town Clerk offered for the record, the Affidavit of Posting and
Publication duly signed and notarized. (These Affidavits are attached hereto
and made part thereof of the Minutes of this Hearing).
Supervisor Smith announced that the Village of Wappingers was going from
91 cents per thousand to 89 cents per thousand, and the Town of Wappinger
is going from $2.51 per thousand to $2.55 per thousand. The Non -Homestead
for the Village is going from $1.81 to $1.76. The Non -Homestead for the
Town is going from $5.02 to $5.08. In the Village there is decrease of
approximately 2%, and the Town is an increase of approximately 1.59%.
Commercial is approximately 3% decrease in the Village and in the Town is
approximately 1.2% increase. The Budget also provides for a 3% cost -of -
living raise and a $2K increase in salary for all Town employees, except
elected officials.
At this time Supervisor Smith asked for comments or questions from the
Public.
Bill Parsons of 224 Myers Corners Road was recognized, and he reminded the
Board that several months ago he appeared before the Board as chairman of
the Planning Board and asked that they consider raising the salaries of
Employees. He understands that there is going to b a $2,000 increase, plus
3% to the employees. He wishes to thank the Board. Tonight, he was here on
a different matter. The subject is the Grinnell Library. The Town of
Wappinger has been very generous in the past, last year the Town gave $70K
to Grinnell. This year the Town is giving $70K again. He is here tonight to
plead for a little more money. Grinnell is one of the few libraries that is not
in a library district. We get $47K a year from the Town of Poughkeepsie,
$70K a year from The Town of Wappinger, $25.5K from the Village, $14,850
from Dutchess County and $7,500 from New York State. A total of
$168,850.00. The budget for Grinnell runs about $225K, and even at that it
is the leanest budget in Dutchess County. We are the second largest library
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in Dutchess County as far as usage is concerned. Around $60K has to be
made up by requesting donations, fund raisers, and a number of different
things. We do not have the funds our budget calls for. Which in turn
prevents us from buying books and videos. Its sad that the library has to
survive on a hand to mouth situation. We desperately need more money. He
is requesting another $5K from the Town of Wappinger. Supervisor Smith
questioned Comptroller Ann Buckley, off the top of her head, what effect $5K
would have on our Budget. Mrs. Buckley said she could not give her an
answer at this time.
Graham Foster, Highway Superintendent asked the Board if anyone had
checked the mathematics in the Budget. He found a number of errors in the
Budget, and felt that someone should review it. At this time, Mr. Foster also
requested additional funds for Highway to hire two additional people. Mr.
Foster said since 1990 the Towns Budget has increased by one half million
dollars, and the funds for Highway have decreased $35K. His department is
asked to take on more work each year. Several members of the Town's office
staff came to the meeting to make sure the proposed raises weren't cut from
the Budget. Cal Lawrence was recognized by the Board and he said it seems
like we are always trying to cut items out of the Budget, and we are always
short. Supervisor Smith reminded Mr. Lawrence, that we have not had an
increase in eight years. That is not always a good policy, people get into a rut
and when you do have to raise the taxes instead of a gradual raise of 2% it
may have to go up 20%. Mr. Parsons said if you compare the Town of
Wappinger, which is the second largest Town in Dutchess County and you
look at the surrounding Towns, and look at their budgets, the Town of
Wappinger should be complimented that the tax rate in the total budget is
much less.
At this time Sandra Kosakowski, an employee of the Town Clerks office was
recognized by the Board and stated that she had worked for the Town of
Wappinger for the past eight years, and seven of those years in the Town
Clerks office and has seen the work load increase tremendously.
Councilman Valdati felt that employees who are working full time that are at
the lower end of the pay scale require the most help to bring them up to a
reasonable living wage. As far as Highway, Councilman Valdati told Mr.
Foster that Highway has never been underfunded. If Mr. Foster feels more
money is required he must present that request in advance of the next
budget. Mr. Parsons asked what was the purpose of the Public Hearing if its
a cut and dry budget, and nothing is going to change. Supervisor Smith said
she did not make that law, she only follows it. Mrs. Snowden, Town Clerk,
announced that another Public Hearing is not necessary if the Budget is
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raised or lowered. Mr. Bettina announced he wished to get the attorneys
official opinion on this, for the record.
There were no more questions or comments from the audience. Mrs. Smith
announced that County Legislature, Richard Lecker was in the audience
tonight.
There was no other Business to come before the Board.
COUNCILWOMAN VISCONTI moved to close the Public Hearing, seconded
by Mr. Valdati, and Unanimously Carried.
The Meeting closed at 7:45 P.M.
Elaine H. Snowden
Town Clerk
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4
TOWN BOARD: TOWN OF WAPPINGER
DUTCHESS COUNTY: NEW YORK
IN THE MATTER AFFIDAVIT OF
OF POSTING
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE
PRELIMINARY BUDGET OF 1998 FOR
THE TOWN OF WAPPINGER
STATE OF NEW YORK )
) ss:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS )
ELAINE H. SNOWDEN, being duly sworn deposed and says:
That she is the duly elected, qualified and acting Town Clerk of the
Town of Wappinger, County of Dutchess and State of New York.
That on October 29 1997, your deponent posted a copy of the attached
notice of Public Hearing on the Preliminary Budget for the Town of
Wappinger, on the signboard maintained by your deponent in her office in
the Town Hall of the Town of Wappinger, 20 Middlebush Road, Wappingers
6w Falls, Dutchess County, New York.
als-iA �Cv"
Elaine H. Snowden
Town Clerk
Town of Wappinger
tl
Sworn to before me the 621.
day of Li 11 1997
NOTARY PUBLIC
t w yor6G
Cotinb
1119_.
I
6w
Southern Dutchess News
914 297-3723
84 EAST MAIN STREET — WAPPINGERS FALLS
NEW YORK - 12590
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the,
Town Board of theTO+m of WW*VW
will meet at the TOwn Hell.' 0
Middlebush Road' Town•1tof
Wappinger, Dutchess Counly,'Now
York on the 8th day of Novembw4l,
7:00 P.M., for the purpose o1 hoMkW
a Public Hearing on lite Prelftttlnary
Budget of saidTownfor thefisWvaar
beginning 0anuary1,1998
�A Copy of said Prdinnhary Budget
Isavailable, at the Office Of the Town
Clerk of tharown ofwa~.T—
Hall, 20 Middlebush Rd,,.TMIM Of
Wappinger, New York during the
hours of 8:30 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.,
Monday through Friday whore it may
be Inspected by any intsrsated W
eon.
The proposed salsdss Of each mem•
bar of theTown Board, theTown Clerk
and theTown Superintendent of High.
ways are a ollows:
Supervisor $ 35,433.00
Superkrten t of
Highway$ $ 40,157.00
Town Clerk $ 38,488.00
Councilma $ 7,098.00
Councilman $ 7,088.00
Councilman $ 7,098.00
Councilman $ 7,098.00
BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD
Elaine H. Snowden
Town Clerk
Town of Wappinger
Dated: Oct. 28, 1997
Wappingers Falls, NY
AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION
State of New York,
County of Dutchess,
Town of Wappinger.
Joan Miller
........................................................ of the
Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York,
being duly sworn, says that he is, and at the several
times hereinafter was, the ... Bookkeeaer
of the SOUTHERN DUTCHESS NEWS, a
newspaper printed and published every Wednesday
in the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New
York, and that the annexed NOTICE was duly
published in the said newspaper for .one ... weeks
successively in each week, commencing on the
...29th day of October 1997. and on the
following dates thereafter, namely on
...............................
and ending on the .. th
day op� ............
19..9.7 both days inclusive.
• ........ 1. Y ...............
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this ...29th., day of ,Oct bar
.......�. 19 9 �.
Notary Public
My commission expires ...... F(ArF-(1 [W(g AAy
11(►1'ARY PUBLIC, STATE OF NEW YORK
QUALIFIFO IN DUiC1iESS COUNTY
N 14-4055902
COMMISSION EXPIRES MARCH 31, 1�4