by Kristina Gabalski
Taxpayers in the Village of Brockport will see a drop in their tax rate of $0.18/$1,000 assessed valuation under the 2012/2013 budget adopted by the Brockport Village Board during the regular meeting April 24.
Trustees voted 4-1 to adopt the $4.6 million budget for the fiscal year beginning June 1, 2012. Mayor Connie Castaneda cast the only no vote.
The tax levy actually increased 1.6 percent, but Village Treasurer Dan Hendricks said the tax rate dropped because assessment value rose more than three percent.
The tax rate for 2012/2013 is $12.10/$1,000 assessed valuation. The 2011/2012 rate was $12.28/$1,000.
Mayor Castaneda noted that despite the removal of the ambulance, dispatch and fire services from the budget, there was still an increase in the tax levy.
“The majority of taxes are going to support one department,” Mayor Castaneda said. She said the tax levy is $2.4 million and the total cost of the Brockport Police Department is $2.2 million.
The budget includes utilizing just over $200,000 from the fund balance.
“The Board could have worked better at trying to reduce expenses,” the Mayor said.
“That’s your opinion,” Trustee Scott Hunsinger responded.
During his report, Trustee Hunsinger thanked the entire board for “doing their due diligence with the budget.”
He said he hopes the budget is one that the people in the village “are happy with and proud of.”
During public comment, village resident Linda Ketchum thanked trustees for making amendments to the budget. “We appreciate that we will stay under the two percent cap,” she said.
During their meeting April 10, trustees voted to make several amendments to the budget including the hiring and training of four part-time police officers; re-instating an assistant building inspector; increasing the hours of the Building Department secretary and hiring a grant writer.
In other business during the April 24 meeting, tensions arose between the mayor and trustees over the issue of selecting a deputy clerk treasurer and making an appointment to fill a vacancy on the Parks Committee.
On the issue of hiring a deputy clerk treasurer, trustees asked the mayor if they could review the resumes of the five final applicants before they vote on the mayor’s recommendation for the post. Trustees also asked who the members of the deputy clerk treasurer search committee are.
The mayor said the search committee consists of herself, Village Clerk Leslie Ann Morelli, and Village Treasurer Dan Hendricks. She said she would be bringing forth her recommendation for deputy clerk treasurer at the May 22 meeting of the Village Board.
It’s the mayor’s appointment to make, village attorney Robert Leni said. “She’s not required to share (the information).”
But he recommended that “it makes sense that the resumes be shared,” so that trustees can have some knowledge about the candidate brought forward.
The mayor stated that she would share the resumes of the final two candidates with trustees.
Trustees also expressed concern later in the meeting when the mayor refused to make an appointment to fill a four-year term on the Parks Committee.
Trustee Margaret Blackman asked if the name of a qualified applicant was going to be brought forward.
The mayor responded that she was not making an appointment at that time.
Trustees expressed their dismay, as did some members of the audience.
Trustee Blackman said the village needs volunteers to step forward for such positions. “This discourages (residents) from taking part,” she said.
