Saturday, November 16, 2019

Wells has 2020 Preliminary Budget

Wells TB Oct 17 2019


Wells has 2020 Preliminary Budget
By PETE KLEIN
WELLS—On October 17, the Wells Town Board held a Budget Workshop Meeting.
The meeting was called to order by Supervisor Don Beach. The purpose of the meeting was 2020 Tentative Budget discussion and adoption of a 2020 Preliminary Budget and any and all business that came before the board. In accordance with Town Law Section 106 the Tentative Town Budget was received by the Clerk on September 30, 2019.
The Board reviewed the revised 2020 tentative budget. Supervisor Beach reviewed Excellus Simply Blue Gold plan for active town employees and the current MVP Gold for retirees. The board decided to go with the with the Excellus PPO Simply Blue Plus Standard Gold National plan. Superintendent Earley said all his employees called their current doctors and they would accept the new insurance plan. Councilperson Saltis also confirmed that the employees she had spoken with were fine with the change. The change in plan will result in an annual savings of $5,300.
Rob Berju outlined the line items affected by the addition of a full-time laborer of $31,873.05. More will be budgeted in the Highway Department Budget to cover this employee. General Fund would remain the same as the current part time laborer amount is already budgeted and offsets the overall cost from the highway department.
Supervisor Beach gave the board correspondence regarding FERC-Part 12 between March and June 2017. He stated, he is unable to find a letter from FERC regarding an exemption of Part 12. Councilperson Hunt suggested he reach out to former Supervisor Brian Towers, he agreed to do so. An engineering firm quoted cost for Part 12 would be $35,000 to $38,000.
Rob Berju pointed out that for the last few years we have budgeted annually $32,500, which when added up is more than the contract we signed with GZA. Due to this, we would not have to set aside additional money for the Part 12. He recommends placing the 3-year capital total into an account that will accrue a greater interest rate such as a CD. He also pointed out that at this point we are approximately $5,000 below the tax cap. Councilperson Lauria suggested placing $2,500 of this money into its own line item to ear mark it for long term projects that need to be addressed in the town while keeping us under the tax cap.
ADOPTING THE 2020 PRELIMINARY BUDGET
On a motion of Councilperson Saltis, seconded by Councilperson Hunt, the Preliminary Budget was APPROVED Ayes 5 Beach, Hunt, Lauria, Saltis, Stuart and Nays 0.
The board then voted to hold a public hearing on the Preliminary Budget on Oct 30 before adopting it.
What follows is the Preliminary Budget for 2020. Figures in (parenthesis) are from the 2019 budget.
THE GENERAL FUND shows appropriations of $1,092,391 ($1,085,343) minus estimated revenues of $286,379 ($283,965) (including fund balance), leaves $806,012 ($801,378) to be raised by taxes.
THE HIGHWAY FUND shows appropriations of $689,398 ($677,020) minus estimated revenues of $243,100 ($253,100) (including fund balance), leaves $446,298 ($423,920) to be raised by taxes.
FIRE DISTRICT shows appropriations of $157,653 ($154,900), less $15,000 from fund balance this year and last year, leaves $142,653 ($139,900) to be raised by taxes.
WATER DIST RICT shows appropriations of $175,468 ($174,340) minus estimated revenues of $41,590 ($44,590), leaves $133,878 ($129,750) to be raised by taxes.

Editor’s note: This story is based upon the minutes of Town Clerk Maryellen Stofelano. Minutes were taken by Councilperson Saltis in the absence of Town Clerk, Maryellen Stofelano.

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