October 8, 2020 Special Meeting

A Special Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, October 8, 2020, at 5:30pm at the Brighton Town Hall, 12 County Road 31, Paul Smiths, NY, with the following:

CALL TO ORDER: Meeting was Called to Order by Supervisor Peter Shrope at 5:30pm

The “Pledge to the Flag” was recited

ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS

PRESENT: Supervisor Peter Shrope
Council Members: Amber McKernan, Matthew Szeliga, Steve Tucker, and Lydia Wright (entered meeting at 6:20pm)
ABSENT: None
OTHERS PRESENT: Richard Meagher-Bookkeeper/Budget Officer, Paul Blaine-Code Enforcement Officer, Andy Crary-Superintendent of Highways, and Elaine Sater-Town Clerk
GUESTS: None

NOTICE OF MEETING:
Notice of this meeting was posted on the Town Clerk’s Sign Board and was published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise on Thursday, October 1, 2020.

The North Country including Franklin County is still in Phase 4 of the Reopening of New York State due to the corona virus called COVID-19. People are still asked to wear masks to cover their nose and mouth when within 6 feet of other people. A limited number of people are allowed inside the Town buildings.

BUSINESS

TENTATIVE BUDGET 2021
Meeting was called to discuss the Tentative Budget for 2021; Budget requests were sent to Department heads and submitted to the Budget Officer Richard Meagher. He reviewed each line item in the Budget. Tax cap for Town is 1.56%; amount to be raised by taxes (levy) was $671,052 for 2020 and will increase to $683,019 for 2021. Assessed value of the Town has increased from $203,694,626 to $204,764.427, about a 1 million dollar increase due to the good work of the Assessor.

Changes were made to some of the lines as follows:

General Appropriations:

A1010.1 Salary for the Town Board: Increased to $20,000 ($5,000 each) from $18,561 ($4,640.25 each), to encourage younger people to run for the Town Board positions and to compensate for the loss of health benefits in 2014.

A5010.4 Expenses for Superintendent of Highways: Increase to $1,834 from $834 to cover Uniform Rental which is changed from Highway Fund to General Fund.

A9030.8 Social Security: Increase to $12,378 from $12,268 to cover Town Board salary increase

Highway Appropriations:

DA5130.2 Machinery Equipment: Increase to $90,000 from $80,000 to purchase a used truck for summer use

Increases to be covered by Fund Balances

RESOLUTION #46-2020 – PRELIMINARY BUDGET 2021
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Matthew Szeliga,

RESOLVED that the Tentative Budget for 2021 be amended as follows and be accepted as the Preliminary Budget for 2021:

General Fund Appropriations:

A1010.1 Salary Town Board increase by $1,439 to $20,000 ($5,000 each for four)

A5132.4 Expense for Superintendent of Highways increase by $1,000 to $1,834

A9030.8 Social Security increase by $110 to $12,378

Preliminary General Fund Appropriations: $420,767

Estimated General Revenues: $43,984

Less General Fund Balance $29,615

Amount to be raised by Taxes: $347,168 and

Highway Fund Appropriations

DA5130.2 Machinery Equipment increase by $10,000 to $90,000

Preliminary Highway Appropriations: $385,256

Estimated Highway Fund Revenue: $110,622

Less Highway Fund Balance: $40,000

Amount to be raised by Taxes: $234,634 and

Preliminary Fire District appropriations: $100,317 and

Preliminary Lighting District appropriations: $900 And

Total Preliminary amount to be raised by Taxes: $683,019

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town Clerk be authorized to publish the Legal Notice for the Public Hearing to be held on Thursday, October 29, 2020, at 6pm

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0
RESOLUTION #46-2020 declared duly adopted.

ADJOURNMENT Motion to Adjourn at 6:30pm made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker, Aye 5 (McKernan, Shrope, Szeliga Tucker, Wright), Nay 0

Respectfully Submitted,
Elaine W. Sater, RMC
Brighton Town Clerk