TOWN OF LAKE LUZERNE
TOWN BOARD FINAL BUDGET MEETING
NOVEMBER 19, 2021
SUPERVISOR MERLINO CALLED MEETING TO ORDER WITH THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS PRESENT: COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE, COUNCILMAN FAZIO, COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI, COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL, ALSO PRESENT: KAREN PUTNEY AND COLLEEN COOK, BOOKKEEPER.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IS TO ADOPT THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- WANTS TO KNOW HOW YOU JUSTIFY THAT WE HAVE LESS THAN A THOUSAND WATER CUSTOMERS , PAYING $ 33, 000 TO COLLECT WATER RENT WHEN IT IS IN HER JOB TITLE TO COLLECT WATER RENT, HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THAT? THERE ARE 980 WATER CUSTOMERS. RIGHT AROUND A THOUSAND. WE CHARGE $33, 000 TO COLLECT WATER RENT.
SUPERVISOR. WE CHARGE 125. 00
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. WE CHARGE THE PUBLIC $33, 000 TO COLLECT WATER RENT. DO YOU THINK THAT IS JUSTIFIED? THAT IS OVER 20% OF THE MONEY COMING IN FOR WATER RENT THAT IS PAID OUT WHEN THAT IS IN THEIR JOB TITLE.
COLLEEN- I BELIEVE THAT ITIS NOT IN THE TITLE.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE –YES IT IS COLLEEN LOOK IT UP. IT IS IN THE JOB TITLE, WHEN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN BAD SHAPE WE COULD BE TAKING SOME OF THAT MONEY AND PUTTING IT IN A CAPITAL RESERVE FUND TO FIX THE WATER.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – THAT IS NOT PROBLEM . IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WE CAN DO IT,
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL- WE SHOULD LOOK IN TO ONE OF THOSE PORTALS TO WHERE WE CAN TAKE CREDIT CARDS. AND THERE AGAIN THAT IS GOING TO SAVE RIGHT?.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- IF YOU HAD AN OUTSIDE COMPANY COME IN TO COLLECT WATER RENT IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 7% TO COLLECT WATER RENT. AND WE ARE CHARGING OVER 20 % FOR SOMEONE WHO’ S JOB IT IS TO COLLECT WATER RENT UNLESS YOU HAVE A WATER COLLECTOR.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO= WE COLLECT THE MONEY THROUGH READING THE METERS AND THAT.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE,- I UNDERSTAND THAT . BUT IT IS IN HER JOB TITLE AS A CLERK TO COLLECT WATER RENT. AND WE ARE GIVING HER AN EXTRA $33, 000 THOUSAND BETWEEN HER AND LORRI TO . I WANT SOME JUSTIFICATION AS TO HOW WE SAY THAT IS OK.
COLLEEN- IN THAT PART THEY WOULD BE PAID OUT OF THAT LINE AS HAS BEEN DONE EVERY YEAR. I WILL SAY, I DON’ T WORK IN THAT OFFICE, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT EVERYDAY THEY DO THINGS IN THE WATER WITH PEOPLE MOVING, READING METERS, AND DOING THINGS ALL THE TIME, IT IS NOT JUST ONCE A YEAR. AND I THINK IT’ S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THE HIGHWAY GUYS WORK ON THE SYSTEM WE PAY THEM OUT OF WATER . WHEN RICK WORKS ON WATER HE IS PAID OUT OF WATER. SO THERE IS A PORTION OF THEIR SALARY OUT OF WATER. .
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- NO. HER SALARY IS SET AT 40K . THIS IS IN ADDITION. DON’ T YOU AGREE?.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE – HER SALARY IS FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. WE JUST POSTED IT. IT IS IN THE BUDGET IN HER JOB DESCRIPTION IT SAYS SHE IS TO COLLECT WATER RENT AND WE GIVE HER AN EXTRA 30. IT IS BAD BUSINESS IT IS JUST MORE TRANSPARENCY ISSUES. YOU LOOK IN WATER THERE IS $30,000 IN ADMINISTRATION AND THEN IN HUDSON GROVE THERE IS ANOTHER 3.
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – ADMINISTRATION $18,000 GOES TO CINDY AND 12,000 GOES TO LORRIE
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- THEN ANOTHER 3 IN HUDSON GROVE, THAT IS ABOUT 33. 00 PR BILL.
THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY IF THAT IS PART OF HER OB.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE – IF MY JOB IS TO MAKE HAMBURGERS, AND THEN I THROW CHEESE ON IT AND IT’ S ANOTHER 10 DOLLARS. THAT’ S CRAZY
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – I LIKE WHAT DAVE SAID TOO ABOUT AN ONLINE PORTAL. EVERYTHING WE DO HERE IS SO MANUAL THAT GOD FOR BID WE ARE EVER IN THE SITUATION WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW. WHAT WEBSITE OUT THERE DOESN’ T HAVE A PORTAL. I HAVE LOOKED AT ABOUT FIVE WEBSITES AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HAS A PORTAL TO PAY TAXES OR WATER BILLS. CLICK CLICK PAY.. IT DOESN’ T CHARGE US ANYTHING, A LITTLE BIT OF TRANSACTION FEES THAT IS PUT ON THERE AND YOU’ RE IN THE GAME. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT GETTING A UTILITY TRAILER. THAT$ 30,000, NOT TO SAY IT WOULD ALL COME FROM THESE LADIES, BUT SOME OF THAT MONEY COULD BE EARMARKED EVERY YEAR T O HAVE A STATE OF THE ART TRAILER, ALL THE TOOLS, EVERYTHING THEY NEED, TOW IT WITH ANY TRUCK WE HAVE, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM YOU COULD LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE ON THE JOB SITE, LOCK IT UP AND YOU ARE READY TO GO. WE SHOULD AT LEAST TAKE A LOOK AT IT. AT LEAST GETTING A N ONLINE PORTAL AND SAVE US THIS MONEY, I DON’ T KNOW HOW LONG IT’ S BEEN PAID OUT ,
COLLEEN – MAY I ALSO SAY THAT RON DEUEL IS ALSO PAID $ 18, 000 FROM LAKE LUZERNE WATER AND $ 2,300 OUT OF HUDSON GROVE.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- THEY ARE ON CAL 24 – 7. IF YOU GET A WATER BREAK GUESS WHO’ S GOING OUT AT NIGHT. NOT CINDY AND LORRI FOR COLLECTING TAXES. IT’ S THOSE GUYS WHO GO OUT TO FIX THE WATER AROUND THE CLOCK.
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – THIS IS WHERE I THINK VERY STRONGLY THAT THE CONCEPTION OF THIS BUDGET THE WAY IS POSTED OVER THE YEARS HAS TO BE CHANGED . THIS BUDGET SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE PICKED UP BY ANYBODY THAT IS AB LE TO READ AND KNOW THAT SO AND SO GETS PAID THIS THIS AND THIS . GIFTS AND DONATIONS – THERE ARE THINGS IN HERE THAT HAS TO BE SPELLED OUT SO THAT COMMON PERSON CAN UNDERSTAND THIS AND THINGS OF THIS SORT,
THE OTHER THING IS THERE IS NO CATEGORY FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, WHERE WE CAN SET MONEY ASIDE FOR EQUIPMENT, BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAVE TO GET A NEW ROOF ON THIS AND OUR RESERVE MONIES ARE SITTING IN A CD NOT EARMARKED FOR ANYTHING, AND TO ME THAT IS INCORRECT AND I THINK THE STATE WOULD LOOK AT IT THE SAME WAY . YOU CAN KEEP ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THAT ACCOUNT FOR THAT REASON AND THE REST SHOULD BE EARMARKED FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. IF WE END UP WITH A PROBLEM WITH A ROOF THAT HAS TO BE REPAIRED, WE JUST RAN INTO A SITUATION, WE LOST A TRUCK FROM BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. WE STILL HAVEN’ T FIGURED WHERE THAT MONEY IS COMING FROM. THERE SHOULD BE A CERTAIN ALLOTMENT PUT IN THESE ACCOUNTS, SO MUCH PER YEAR AND WE DON’ T HAVE TO GO OUT FOR BONDS AND IT IS TAKEN CARE OF,
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – I THINK THOSE ARE SOME GOOD IDEAS. WE COULD START ON THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE – DID YOU MEET WITH ANYONE?, DID YOU MEET WITH HIGHWAY, DID YOU MEET WITH RICK, ASK THEM WHAT THEY NEEDED?.
COLLEEN – TO SPEAK. ON THAT,….
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- COLLEEN YOU DON’ T HAVE TO TALK FOR HIM, HE’ S A GROWN MAN.
COLLEEN – THEY WERE ALL GIVEN SHEETS, BUDGET REQUEST SHEETS. EVERY ONE OF THEM TO FILL OUT AND RETURN THEM . I HAVE THE ONES THAT WERE RETURNED RIGHT HERE,
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – WE TRY TO WORK WITH THEM. RON IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING, WE TRY TO WORK WITH THEM. WE NST DON’ T DO CARTE BLANCHE,
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – WHAT ABOUT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH THEM . WE SET ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR OVERTIME AND WATER AND REPAIRS AND SUCH BUT THEY ARE NOT AS BIG AS HIGHWAY.
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – I AM NOT DISAGREEING BUT THEY HAVE NO BASIC BUDGET LINES IN THERE EXCEPT FOR SALARY . A LITTLE BIT FOR REPAIRS, A LITTLE BIT NEW PURCHASES WHICH WE FOUND OUT IN OUT LAST MEETING AND I STILL STRONGLY.. GET THEM OFF THE GENERAL LEDGER SHEET AND PUT THEM ON A BUDGET. NO DIFFERENT THAN THE HIGHWAY DEPT. THEY ARE A SEPARATE ENTITY IN THIS TOWN AND RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE CARTE BLANCHE IF THE BOARD IS BROUGHT INTO THE DECISION OF WHAT THEY NEED. AND OVER THE YEATS THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE AND THE MONEY ALL COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND WHICH I AM SORRY IS INCORRECT,
SUPERVISOR MERLINO -, I AM NOT DEFENDING IT. BUT THAT IS THE WAY IT HAS BEEN DONE FOR ALL THE TIME I HAVE BEEN HERE,
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI CORRECTED SUPERVISOR IN THAT HE HAS BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR ONE BUDGET, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE LOOKED AT BUDGET. AND AFTER BEING ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE LAKE LUZERNE FIRE DEPT. IN REGARDS TO PUTTING MONEY ASIDE FOR DIFFERENT ITEMS AND GETTING IT OUT OF THE CD SITUATION WHERE IT IS EARMARKED DEFINITELY FOR CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE ALONG WITH BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS HAVING THEIR OWN BUDGET AND ADJUSTING IT FROM THERE. NOW WE ARE LOOKING FOR A $40,000 TRUCK FOR THEM WITH A PLOW IN A COUPLE OR THREE WEEKS. WITH NO MONEY IN THERE,
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL .. IT COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND RIGHT, SUPERVISOR MERLINO – IT COMES OUT OF THE RESERVE,
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT WHEN THIS BUDGET WAS PUT TOGETHER I WASN’ T EVEN ASKED TO PUT MY TWO CENTS IN. WHEN THE STRUCTURE OF THIS BUDGET WAS EVEN STARTED. AM I CORRECT COLLEEN ?
COLLEEN – I DON’ T KNOW IF YOU WERE ASKED, I KNOW THAT DAN WAS PART OF IT, ATTORNEY MITCHELL WAS PART OF IT. YOU ARE IN THE OFFICE QUITE OFTEN. I ASKED YOU THIS WEEK IF THERE WERE ANY CONCERNS OR IF YOU HAD QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET AND I ASKED DAN AND YOU HAD NO CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS..
THESE QUESTIONS I HAVE RAISED ARE NOT QUESTIONS IN REGARD TO THE BUDGET , IF YOU LISTENED, MY QUESTIONS ARE IN REGARDS TO THE FORMAT OF THE BUDGET. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN WHO HAVE A TOUGH TIME UNDERSTANDING IT . I ASKED YOU AND YOU WERE ABLE TO GET AS MUCH AS YOU COULD FOR ME IN REGARDS TO THE DIFFERENT CODING. 1 AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT. I HAVE WORKED ON IT FOR A MONTH NOW AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF IT A LITTLE MORE SO, AND THESE ARE THE POINTS THAT CONCERN ME. I AM NOT SAYING WHAT YOU DID WAS INCORRECT, I AM SAYING THAT THE FORMAT IS INCORRECT,
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – I DON’ T DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THE FORMAT BUT RIGHT NOW IT’ S A LITTLE TOUGH TO CHANGE IT. IN JANUARY FIRST IT CAN BE LAID OUT WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO,
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – WE WILL HAVE THAT NEW SOFTWARE IN PLACE TOO. AND MAYBE WITH THE UPDATED NEW SOFTWARE, IT CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF BEING MORE TRANSPARENT.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – OVER THE YEARS I AM NOT KNOCKING YOU, YOU KNOW THAT STUFF. THE TECHNOLOGY DOES NEED TO BE UPGRADED.
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – KAREN AND MELISSA OUT IN THE FIELD WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF A LAPTOP OR ANYTHING TO TAKE WITH THEM TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WHEN THEY’ RE IN THE FIELD. WE ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE I9TH CENTURY IN A LOT OF LOCATIONS IN THIS BUILDING. .
SUPERVISOR MERLINO, WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING IT AND I DON’ T KNOW WHY IT DIDN’ T GO FORWARD.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO- I DID. I HAVE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE PROGRAM YOU HAVE LOADED AND IF IT’ S AVAILABLE IN THE APP STORE .
KAREN- MINE IS JUST AN APP, BUT WHAT MELISSA NEEDS IS FROM THE STATE. SHE WILL HAVE TO GIVE YOU THAT INFO, IF WHAT YOU NEED AND WHAT SHE NEED S ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ONE DEVICE CAN’ T HANDLE, THEN WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO= THESE ARE GOOD IDEAS GUYS THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT AND WORKED ON AND BE PREPARED FOR 2022. ARE WE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET?
COUNCILMAN WATER-HOUSE= THERE IS STILL THE LINE FOR DEPUTY SUPERVISOR. ARE WE TAKING THAT OUT.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO. NO WE DID NOT TAKE IT OUT.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – WANTS TO SEE THAT TAKEN OUT AND PUT IN THE CONTINGENCY LINE A1990.4 IT HAS 40K IN IT,
SUPERVISOR MERLINO = MIKE WHY WOULD YOU TAKE IT OUT OF THAT LINE.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – BECAUSE WE NO LONGER HAVE IT. AND WE CAN MAKE BUDGET CHANGES ANYTIME WE WANT,
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – HOW MUCH ARE YOU TAKING OUT.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – $ 1, 854.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT CHANGE. IT HAS TO BE AT THE COUNTY TOMORROW MORNING,
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – WE CAN DO IT AFTER WE APPROVE IT RIGHT ?
COLLEEN= MY QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE TO MEET AGAIN TO APPROVE THAT CHANGE BEFORE IT GOES TO THE COUNTY WITH THAT CHANGE IN IT.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – WE CAN VOTE ON THE BUDGET WITH THAT CHANGE IN IT,
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL . WE CAN ALWAYS TAKE IT AWAY AFTER WORDS RIGHT. ? JUST LET IT RIDE RIGHT NOW.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO= CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET AS IT IS?
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – DO WE WANT TO MOVE THOSE SALARY LINES FROM THE WATER AND PUT SOME MONEY IN THERE FOR THE ONLINE PORTAL.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO= YOU CAN DO THAT FROM THE SURPLUS WE HAVE IN WATER. YOU CAN ANYTIME YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO TAKE SAY 10, 000 FROM THE WATER SURPLUS AND PUT IT IN THE LINE INSTEAD OF MOVING THE OTHER THINGS.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – WHEN YOU SAY TAKE IT OUT OF SOMETHING ELSE ARE YOU SAYING OUT OF THE SALARIES OR.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO, NO THE MONEY IN THE RESERVE FUND.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE WATER RESERVE FUND TO START A LINE TO PREPARE FOR THE PORTAL.
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COUNCILMAN FAZIO – DO YOU WANT TO TAKE ANY OF THAT FROM THE SALARIES OR SOME ALTERNATE WAY TO TAKE SOME OF THE WORK LOAD OFF THESE LADIES.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – I DON’ T THINK YOU CAN CHANGE THAT RIGHT NOW COUNCILMAN FAZIO- WHY NOT ?
SUPERVISOR- YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE MOVES IN THE BUDGET. YOU ARE TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM WHAT THEY ARE GETTING RIGHT NOW,
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS COMING YEAR, HE IS ASKING IF YOU ARE WILLING TO DO THAT. IF YOU THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA,
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – OR DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD KEEP PAYING$ 33 PR WATER BILL WHICH IS HARD FOR THEM . I WALK INTO THE TOWN HALL AND YOU COULDN’ T EVEN SEE LORRI BEHIND HER DESK SHE IS SO MOUNDED WITH ALL THE PAPERS AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING SOME MONEY INTO TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FUTURE AND SAY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ONLINE PORTAL ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN MAKE TWO CLICKS AND PAY THEIR$ 125. 00 AND THAT WAY YOU DON’ T HAVE TO TOUCH IT .
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – IT IS TOUGH FOR ME TO TAKE THE MONEY AWAY FROM THEIR LINE
COUNCILMAN FAZIO- I AM ASKING YOUR OPINION, YOU ARE THE SUPERVISOR.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – LEAVE IT LIKE IT IS NOW AND NEXT YEAR YOU CAN MAKE ALL THESE CHANGES AND GET IT DONE.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – THE WATER BILLS ARE JUNE
SUPERVISOR- JULY
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- I THINK ALL WE DO IS PUT BAND AIDS ON THINGS HERE.
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI , I AGREE WITH WHAT DAN JUST SAID. SUPERVISOR MERLINO – YOU HAVE TWO NUMBERS FOR LORRI AND CINDY
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI= CINDY GETS $ 18, 000 AND LORI 12,000. AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER ONE IN….
COLLEEN – FOR THIS YEAR CINDY GETS $ 15, 800 AND LORRIE GETS 13, 200; IN SW2 CINDY GETS 2,200 AND LORRI GETS 1, 800.
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL – I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK INTO GOING OVER TO A PORTAL. I AM NOT TRYING TO SOUND MEAN, IN AM NOT TECH SAVVY .
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – I AM TRYING TO FIGURE WHAT THEY ARE GETTING RIGHT NOW,
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COLLEEN – SWI 15, 800 AND LORRI 13, 200
SUPERVISOR MERLINO= I AM TRYING TO COME UP WITH A NUMBER. THAT I CAN SAY YOU TAKING 10% OR 20% OF WHAT YOU HAVE OUT THERE. TO TRY TO PUT ASIDE TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE MORE MODERN STUFF. SOMEBODY STILL HAS TO WORK IT.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – ANY COMPANY THAT DOES THIS IS STUFF IS GOING TO GET PAID THROUGH THE TRANSACTION FEE. I DOUBT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO CHARGE US A NICKEL TO GET OUR BUSINESS. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO CHARGE US TEN GRAND TO PUT A PORTAL ON OUR WEBSITE.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE = GO THE LAKE GEORGE WEBSITE TONIGHT . COUNCILMAN FAZIO – . EVERY ONE OF THEM YOU CAN PAY YOUR TAXES, YOUR WATER BILLS YOU CAN DOWNLOAD YOUR TAX BILL
SUPERVISOR MERLINO- I UNDERSTAND THAT .
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – . IT IS THE WAY TO GO IN THE FUTURE. UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE TWO WOMEN WHO ARE UNABLE TO COME TO WORK FOR WHATEVER REASONS AND IF IT WAS WATER SEASON WE’ D HAVE BILLS PILED UP TO THE CEILING. WE ARE IN THE 19TH CENTURY NOT EVEN THE 20TH CENTURY..
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL – I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THE MONEY AND INVEST IT IN THE PORTAL
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE – ;YOU DON’ T HAVE TO INVEST IT. THEY SET YOU UP FOR FREE.
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL – IT WILL TAKE SOMETHING DAN . EVEN IF IT IS 2,000 TO GET SOMEBODY TO GET THINGS ORGANIZED FOR US. WE ARE STILL GOING TO BE LEAPS AND BOUNDS AHEAD OF OVER 30,000
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE I AGREE.
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL – AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE AGGRAVATION.
COLLEEN ARE THEY GOING TO DO THE BILLING ALSO?
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- YES YOU PUT YOUR CARD IN AND WHATEVER IS THE AMOUNT …
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE – THE TOWN STILL HAS TO SEND OUT THE BILLS BY LAW. BUT YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND PAY IT
COLLEEN- I CAN TELL YOU THERE IS A LOT OF WORK IN GETTING THOSE WATER BILLS READY TO BE MAILED.
DAN I AM NOT SAYING TO TAKE IT ALL. I THINK IT CAN BE REWORKED.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO- THERE IS NOT ANYONE HERE WHO WANTS TO TAKE A BUZZ CUT ON THEIR PAY BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE SOME OF THIS MONEY PRUDENT . THERE IS NO REASON THEY HAVE TO SIT THERE AND OPEN A THOUSAND ENVELOPES AND CASH A CHECK. HALF OR THREE QUARTERS OF THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CLICK AND PAY SO HALF OR THREE QUARTERS OF THAT MANUAL WORK IN THAT OFFICE IS GOING TO GO AWAY.
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT YOU ARE SAYING THIS PAST DEC I WAS IN THE TOWN HALL A NUMBER OF TIMES GETTING READY FOR TAX SEASON. I AM GLAD THAT EVERYBODY WORKED TOGETHER STUFFING ENVELOPES., KAREN , BARB MITCHELL, EVERYBODY OUT THERE TRYING TO GET THE BILLS OUT ON TIME. IF THERE IS A WAY WE CAN IMPROVE THIS AND CUT DOWN ON MAN FORCE, WE HAVE GOT TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – I GUARANTEE A COMPANY IS NOT GOING TO TAKE $33 A WATER BILL TO DO THIS . THIS IS A VERY NON PRUDENT WAY TO SPEND WATER MONEY. IF WE HAD EVERYTHING IN TIP TOP SHAPE, IF WE HAD ALL THE EQUIPMENT WE NEED IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT STORY BUT WE ARE UPSIDE DOWN ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ARE UPSIDE DOWN ON OUR EQUIPMENT, THAT WATER TRUCK WE HAVE OVER AT THE TOWN GARAGE IS PROBABLY NOT LEGAL TO BE ON THE ROAD ANYMORE.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – THREE MONTHS AGO WE OFFERED THEM A TRAILER AND THEY NEVER CAME BACK.
COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI – THEY CAME BACK AND SAID NO. THEY WANT A TRUCK.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – I DIDN’ T HEAR THAT.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO—I DIDN’ T EITHER. THAT TRAILER DOESN’ T HAVE AN ENGINE IT DOESN’ T HAVE A TRANSMISSION.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO- THAT IS ANOTHER SITUATION.
RESOLUTION 175 OF 2021 —TO ACCEPT THE 2021 BUDGET.
MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI
DISCUSSSION:
SUPERVISOR MERLINO, . I AM LOOKING HERE, AND THEY MIGHT NOT LIKE IT AND I FEEL BAD ABOUT THAT, IF WE TOOK 20% FROM THE 18 AND IF IT 53, 600 AND CHANGE THAT NUMBER FOR THE COMING YEAR AND THEN GET INTO A BETTER. WHEN WE HAVE THAT OTHER STUFF MAYBE THEY WILL SEE THEY ARE NOT WORKING AS HARD.
STUFFING ENVELOPES UNLESS YOU GET A PRIVATE COMPANY TO DO THAT IS STILL A LOT OF WORK.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – WE COULD LOOK INTO IT. YOU HAVEN’ T LOOKED INTO IT,
I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE BUDGET LIKE IT IS, IT’ S UP TO YOU.
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL – . I THINK WE HAVE TO PUSH IT THROUGH TONIGHT AND THEN ON THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. GO FROM THERE I GUESS,
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – I THINK THAT PEOPLES SALARY . I DON’ T WANT THEM THINKING THEY ARE GOING TO GET SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE GOING To TAKE AWAY FROM THEM,
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE- , THAT WOULD BE ORGANIZATIONAL DAY MEETING MIKE. THAT IS WHEN YOU SET THAT AND IT GOES IN STONE.
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – I NST THINK WE NEED TO BE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT AND MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THAT THIS ISN’ T A VENDETTA, BUT THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND KEEP UP WITH TECHNOLOGY AND KEEP UP WITH OTHER TOWNS IN THE AREA. BUT ULTIMATELY THEY WILL BE TAKING A PAY CUT AND THAT’ S IMPORTANT THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT. THAT IT’ S IN THE TOWN’ S BEST INTEREST AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR,
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL—HOPEFULLY IT WILL MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR THE GIRLS IN THERE.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO – SO WHAT ARE WE DOING ? DO YOU WANT TO TAKE 20% AND CHANGE THAT?
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL – WE WILL CHANGE IT AT ORGANIZATIONAL DAY,
COUNCILMAN FAZIO – IN THE MEANTIME I WILL LOOK INTO A SERVICE THAT WILL STUFF A THOUSAND ENVELOPES FOR US FOR MAYBE 10 CENTS EACH. THEY HAVE MACHINES THAT WILL DO THAT . THERE IS A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE THAT WE DON’ T EVEN K NOW EXISTS.
KAREN THERE IS A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BUDGET .
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL – TO LEAVE THE BUDGET THE WAY IT IS. I WILL SECOND
COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL- SECONDED THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BUDGET. ROLL CALL VOTE:
DAN WATERHOUSE, AYE
PAUL LEWANDOWSKI, AYE
DAVE, AYE,
MIKE, AYE.
GENE. AYE.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7: 33 UPON A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN O’ NEAL.