Mayor says study could show ways to make village more affordable for residents
by Kristina Gabalski
Brockport Village trustees have refused to support authorization for the village to apply for a grant they say is, “… a back door to dissolution.”
During the regular Village Board meeting January 22, Mayor Connie Castaneda made a motion for the board to authorize applying for a Local Government Citizens Reorganization Empowerment Grant.
According to the New York State Department of State website, the grant is part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s agenda to reduce property taxes and shrink the size of government by helping local governments find innovative ways to drive efficiency through consolidation and reorganization.
The mayor said the grant would provide funds to help the village study municipal consolidation/dissolution and would be a pro-active step if the dissolution issue returns.
A study would provide “facts and data to better inform our constituents,” Mayor Castaneda said, and would “provide information we can use to lead the community.”
She said a study would analyze services currently provided by the village and recommend how the village might run more efficiently.
The mayor said such a study would be worthwhile. “It would inform the board and taxpayers about options available to make Brockport more affordable.”
Trustees did not agree.
Trustee Carol Hannan questioned the mayor about whether the study would help the village. “Dissolve the village is all you’ve wanted to do,” she said.
“This is a grant about dissolution,” Trustee Margaret Blackman said. She noted the village would need to provide information on what services they would like to consolidate and if a study recommended consolidation the village would have to adopt those recommendations if the village was to receive grant money.
Recalling the results of the 2010 dissolution vote, Trustee Blackman said, “A decisive majority voted not to dissolve.”
Trustee Carol Hannan called the study a “back door to dissolution,” and said she “would not vote to spend a penny” on it.
Trustee Kent Blair noted that the village has come a long way to a more stable financial situation since the 2010 dissolution vote.
None of the trustees seconded the mayor’s motion.
Mayor Castaneda told trustees the village board is the only body authorized to initiate a study or a plan regarding consolidation/dissolution.
“When people come to you (regarding dissolution) and you have chosen not to look to study or look at a plan, it’s not fair to say there is no plan and no savings,” she said.
