Minutes of the budget workshop, of the Brant Town Board held on Wednesday October 21st, 2009 at 6:00 PM at the Brant Town Hall, 1294 Brant North Collins Road, Brant, Erie County New York
	
There were present:
Supervisor Leonard K. Pero, Councilman Jeffrey W. Gier, Councilwoman Roseann Turner , Councilman Jeff Gier, Councilman Daniel Kujawinski, Recording Secretary: Town Clerk Thea A. Ells   
Record of Legible Sign In Attendance: Joseph Pinker, Maria Pinker, Janice DeCarlo, Joseph DeCarlo, Janet Bowman, Beverly Wasmund, Timothy Kobel, Clark Borngraber, Christine Gierlinger, Kathy Eimers.
 
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM with a pledge to the flag led by Supervisor Pero.
Supervisor Pero instructed the Public that public input will not be  permitted, anyone making outbursts will be escorted from the building.  
Refuse Contract: Gryksa (accountant) stated he will have current figures for the Board by Monday Oct 26th.  Discussion regarding what should be the required insurance for refuse contract. 
Supervisor Pero moved for the adoption of resolution # 294, seconded by Councilman Gier. A vote was taken: 5 Ayes   0 Nays 
ADOPTED:  To change the per occurrence from 1 million to 3 million, and the aggregate from 3 million to 5 million.  


Budget Schedule: 
Councilman Kujawinski asked the budget officer, Supervisor Pero, for the rest of the  department head worksheets. Pero stated this was all; he named them off by department. [clerk?s note: lacking the following worksheets: supervisor, town board, law, accounting, police dept, park, pool, recreation, each building, adult rec, ].  Supervisor Pero stated that after tonight?s review, the Budget will be the Preliminary.  
TOWN BOARD: Councilman Kujawinski asked who requested the 3% raise to the Town Board line.  Pero responded he did.  The Councilpersons were unanimously against the 3% increase, returning that budget line A1010.1 back to $17,400.  

TOWN JUSTICE line A1110.1   increased from $18,000 to $22,000, each Judge increase by $2,000.00 and Court Clerks line A1110 from $18,000 for each clerk to $22,000 for each clerk.  Pero explained the increase was due to the added number of hours, not a pay raise due to increased workload.  
Town Justice Budget increase $13,000.00.

SUPERVISOR line A1220.1 increased from $15,000 to 20,000.  Supervisor Pero explained that he made a mistake when entering the $20,000 on his line.  He explained his increase.  Upon removal of the $1,500 pay to the Budget Officer (based on this year?s discussion Budget Officer is part of the regular duties of a Town Supervisor) from line A1340.1, he decided to move that pay to his Supervisor line A1220.1 along with the pay he had received last year when he was Parks Commissioner on budget line A7110.1, thereby bringing total pay increase on Supervisor?s line by $3,000 He then stated the other $2,000 was an error as it was supposed to be added to his Contractual line A1220.4 increasing it from $4,000 to $6,000 explaining it was needed to cover travel expenses.  Councilman Kujawinski questioned the total of the Supervisor lines.  Kujawinski asked if there might arise that another Budget officer would have to fill the position.  Pero answered if it happened, they would have to be paid from the contingency fund.  He added that he gave his secretary a 3% raise due to the number of foils she is handling. 
Total Supervisor increase to $6,655.00.   

ACOUNTING CONTRACTUAL.  Pero stated due to the number of grants received, he felt a $500.00 pay increase on line A1320.4 would not be unwarranted.  Councilman Kujawinski asked if Pero he was going to show where these grants have been accounted for on the budget. Pero answered he will get to that.  He added that he was playing it safe placing $5,000 on independent audit line A1320.41 due to past internal audit expenses. $500.00 increase

ASSESSOR: Pero spoke on his reasoning for cutting the assessor?s pay in half.  He spoke that it was because he felt the assessor did not do his job.  He stated that the Marilla assessments increased 6.4%, Evans and North Collins Cap was an increase of 11% so how can Brant be at a 26 or 24% increase?  Gier spoke on behalf of the Assessor and that he received awards for his good job, and now he should have his pay cut in half?  Kujawinski suggested that the Assessor was present and should be allowed to talk since he was being attacked.  DeCarlo explained that if the Town doesn?t go to 100% valuation, it affects the State aid the Town would get per parcel, and also would affect the amount of sales tax revenue the Town gets and that he is following the state law when he did the reval.  Pero argued that there is no state law.  The assessor then reminded Pero that he and the Board   signed the contract  with NYS to put the Town at 100% valuation over a period of six years.  DeCarlo stated that after the Town reaches 100%, the Board can then reset their assessments to other figures such as 4%, 10% or whatever.  Councilwoman Turner asked why the Board has gone away from reviewing the budget.  
Kujawinski spoke that it is unfair to cut the assessor?s pay in half.  Pero answered when he drafted the tentative budget, it was his personal statement against the assessor.  Councilwoman Turner stated she was against speaking on personnel issues at the same time as budget issues. Assessor DeCarlo explained that the Assessor?s Office over the years has brought in $55,000 in state aid, he added that the $7,000 paid to the Town ($5.00/parcel), in essence pays for half his salary.  He continued that when he sat with Pero and accountant Gryska, to discuss his budget requests, he was told by Pero that Pero will consider how he handles the Assessor?s budget based on how Joe handles the 2010 assessments. Joe stated he took that as a threat. Four Board members were for keeping the assessor and clerk at the previous year?s budget figures, Board opinion: Assessor Pers Svce returned to $13,000.  Assessor?s Clerk returned to $10,000.  Assessor Contractual stays at $1,500.  Increase 0.0
Board Of Assessment A1355 increases of $500.00 
Town Clerk: A1410:  Pero explained he didn?t go by what the Town Clerk had requested in her budget estimate sheet for deputy pay.  Town Clerk responded that last year same error and she feels she is holding the line well, and she wants to figure on a 3% for her deputy, Pero agreed and put the Deputy pay to$17,000. Thea spoke that cutting Assessor hours would translate to her office attending to people wishing to see someone in the assessor?s office. Budget increase of $1,600.00
Law- A1420.1 Pero explained that due to increased hours for Prosecutor for number of cases, he increased the Town Attorney from $14,650 to $17,500 broken down as $8,000 (up from $5,150.) for the Town Prosecutor and $9,500 for the Attorney.  Budget increase of $2,850.00
Engineering A1440.4 Increased from $500.00 to $1,200. Because we owe Eden for the water project.
Records Mgmt A1460.4: Increased from $650. To $1,325.00 to account for website Professional Svcs (GRANT WRITER) A1480.4: Increased from $14,500 to $15,000.
  Discussion:(Grants, etc. ) Gier asked if Highway men work on Park does it get charged to the Park.  Gryksa explained that if the Highway men work at the Park for a documented portion of time, it should be paid out of the Park money.  Pero stated when it comes time to do the Parks Commissioner line, he knows some people who could do that job because they have some equipment.  Pero also stated that some of the work the Highway did was work for the Buildings and grounds.
Town Hall: Per Svce A1620.1 (Custodian) Increased from $4,200 to $4,500.
Budget increase $1150.
Rec/Comm Bldg: - Pers Svce A1625.1 & A1630.1: $9,500 was split between the two accounts. Increase $1700.
Contingent A1190: Discussion regarding the $15,000 increase in the contingent account A1990.4 to $30,000.  Gryksa explained it is needed in the event a particular department goes over budget, it will cover the overage.  It is also there because many of the grants that come in require the Town to match funds.  Money is there to pay for the matching amount or to pay for projects until the funds get reimbursed.  Pero explained that he has no way of knowing if projects like the water project money will go through or if the wind energy project will go forward and when the money for these grants will come. 
 A1990.4 increase  $15,000.

Police Dept A3120: Pero explained he gave officers a 5% increase hourly plus increased their hours.  From 103 hour to 122 hours.  He explainied they are doing good job, and making the Town a lot of money.  Councilman Gier expressed concern that Pero had turned the Police Dept from protect and preserve dept to a revenue generating system.  Councilman Gier asked if there was money for a Police Chief and Pero responded for what?  Gier stated ?for better management, would be my reasoning?.  Fullone and Turner expressed support for officer?s pay increase, which Kujawinski noted as a 24% increase.  Kujawinski also asked where the line for the police cars was.  Pero responded that he would get to it.  He moved forward noting his proposed increase will stay. 
Police (excluding vehicles)increase $21,921.00
Traffic Control A3310: Amount stays the same, Pero explained this money is returned by grants
Dog Control A3510: Pero explained that DCO requested increase as is now required to board dogs and all follow up since SPCA is no longer there.  Kujawinski asked if the amount would be sufficient ,as there are agencies that have been helping her that may need funding to help adopt these dogs rather than euthanasia.  Pero explained that he went from $500.00 to $2,000 so the extra can be used to help the wildlife refuge in the Town of Brant.  
Dog Control/wildlife? Increase $2,280.00
Garage A5132::  Contractual Increase mentioned, no discussion. Garage Equipment New amount added $4,500 for the roof.?
Sidewalks A5410.2: $5,000 put in place to in case we get the grant and it will be matching so the Town can pay their half.
Recreation A7020.4:  $1,500 increase for labor.  No discussion
Parks A7110.Pers Svce .1: $2,500 increase from $1,500 to $4,000. Pero wants to contract with someone to move picnic tables, and make sure things are in order for rentals.  Clerk asked where the part-time laborer was paid this year.  Pero responded on the Parks contractual line. Accountant said will show at end of year.?
Pool A7110: Pero noted the bottom line increase of $1,000. Councilman Gier noted the pers Services line A7110.1 increased by $2,000 and asked why.  Councilwoman Turner responded that you can?t find lifeguards for $8.00/hr. increase $2,000
Band Concerts A7270.4 increased $500.00, no discussion.
Adult Recreation A7620.4 increased by $1,000.  No discussion.
Planning ?SW Regional Water Project A8020.4: New $4,800 amount to cover what is owed  Eden.
A9010 TO A9060 Are Mandated Cost Increases Per NYS.
BAN, A9370: balance due on BAN is $5,350.
Installment Purchase A9785.6&7: (POLICE CARS) SAME AS LAST YEAR.
Councilman Gier asked if there was going to be money set aside for police cars.  Pero said no.  Gryksa explained that the general reserve has about $12,000 set aside for Police equipment  He also strongly recommended the Board plan for the purchase of a new Highway truck, using financing or a portion of, or the entire reserve.  He also spoke that the Town should be saving money for tough times.

Estimated Revenue For ?A? Fund: Pero read through his estimated Revenue for the upcoming year regarding the A Fund.  He stated he put $250,000 on A2610for 2010 as he expects to get $380,000 or more this year when $145,000.00 was estimated.  Councilman Kujawinski questioned why the Volker lines (A3089 & A3097) were left blank.  Gryksa answered that the money for the Volker grants have been received, adding that the only grant not yet settled is the first park grant for $50,000 because there arose a legal issue about the land purchase.  The State agency now has the paperwork and payment should be made soon.
B-General Fund Part Town: Pero read through the B Appropriations.  He reached the refuse line and noted that he didn?t know what to put there because refuse is not settled yet.  He added $10,000 to last year?s figures, raising the total to $154,000.  Gryksa suggested raising the contingent account later if they felt uncomfortable about the amount.
Highway Appropriations DA Fund: Pero noted that Snow Removal increased by $5,000. Per request of Giambrone.  Equipment figures stated are per Giambrone.
Highway Revenues: Money from Erie County for road plowing assistance DA2300 is $80,000.
Highway Part Time DB Fund: DB5110 increased by $11,500.   Increased the Permanent Improvements by $1,100.  Total increase on Highway Part Town Appropriations are $13,265.
Pero briefly read through the Fire, Street lighting, Lotus Bay Sewer Dists 1-2, Water District Appropriations and revenue.  No discussion about any other above.
Councilman Fullone asked if we should be putting money aside for the New Town Hall project.  Gryksa answered that at the end of the year, they will review the fund balance and make the decision how much to set aside into Capital Reserve.  If the Board chooses to specify a reserve just for a Town Hall reserve, then the Town has to have a public hearing to announce a referendum.  If instead they put the money into the general reserve, they will need to have a public hearing when it is time to spend the money.
Town Clerk noted that an exemption impact report should be attached to the budget.  Thea read an excerpt from the Town Topics dated Fall of 2009 stating that an exemption impact report must attached to the preliminary and who is responsible for prepare the report.
Gryksa asked if the Town wanted to use any other reserve to fund the Highway truck.  He stated there is about $62,000 available.  If the Board chooses to do this, they must also decide how to replenish the reserve.  Gier suggested we purchase it with a BAN, and Gryksa said then it could be paid off over 5 years.
Discussion regarding the Highway reserve fund use.  Possibly use $30,000 from reserve, and a BAN for the balance.  We would then need to put a notice in the Town?s legal paper announcing the use of reserve monies.  Gier added that the Town should get a smaller town truck to do runs do runs for the town.  Pero reminded the board this could be discussed at the next Town Board meeting.
Pero stated the rate per thousand would be at $6.712. .2369 decreases
1.4108 decreases from prior year
Gier asked if he if that is with the assessor?s pay brought back to $13,000. Pero stated he needed to put it in the computer.  He will then give accurate figures later.  Gryksa stated that the fund balance will be $400,000.

Supervisor Pero moved for the adoption of resolution 140, seconded by Councilman Fullone 5 Ayes   Pero, Fullone, Gier, Turner 0 Nays ADOPTED: ADJOURN THE OCTOBER 21st Budget workshop 8:00 PM. 

Respectfully submitted


Thea A. Ells
Brant Town Clerk