NEW SCOTLAND – The tax levy and tax rate for the town’s $5.5 million proposed 2008 budget have not yet been decided, says Supervisor Ed Clark. The town board will need to decide if it is happy with the status of the fund balance, and, if not, a decision to either raise taxes or cut spending will have to be made, Clark said.
"The fund balance is very, very strategic," Clark said of the approximately $110,000 projected rainy-day account, for the general fund in 2008. "We have to think about raising taxes to raise money for the fund balance."

When the town board approved its budget for 2003, it voted to use $364,000, leaving $725,000 in the fund balance, which was nearly double the $400,000 recommended by the state comptroller’s office.

Democratic Councilwoman Deborah Baron said that, she too, is concerned about the fund balance.
"We will need to sit down once more and fine tune it," she said of the 2008 budget.

The proposed 2008 budget represents roughly a 10-percent increase in spending over this year.
"Our A Fund is in very bad shape," Clark said of the budget’s general fund. When the fund balance gets to a point where it is too low, said Clark, the town must "spend less or tax more." It is the "very heart of the budgeting decision," he said.

Other options for consideration include cutting expenses elsewhere, not giving town employees raises, or cutting things intended to be purchased, he said.

The town’s highway budget is proposed at $1.76 million, up from $1.6 million this year.
"We have to look toward the future," said Clark, who serves as the town’s chief financial officer. The town increased taxes for the last several years at least, he said. The current tax rate is $1.07 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
Clark said he is unsure how the board will act. It will have to decide where to cut expenses, or "sign off on significant tax increases," he said.

The town board is split politically with three Democrats and two Republicans.

Clark, who ran successfully for three two-year terms on the GOP line, is stepping down. Republican councilman Douglas LaGrange is running against Democrat Thomas Dolin for the supervisor post. Two Democratic council members — Baron and Richard Reilly — are running for re-election against challengers Charles Voss and Gary Schultz, both running on the Republican line.

Salaries

The salaries of town employees make up a very significant portion of the budget — nearly $1.6 million, said Clark.
Typically, he said, employees receive an annual 3-percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). "I always check with other municipalities to see what they’re doing before we decide," said Clark of the raises.
Raises have an "enormous" effect on the budget, he said.

Increasing salaries is one of the areas in which the town’s Republican and Democratic board members differ.

At a budget workshop last week, Reilly suggested a two-tiered system for pay raises, said Baron of her running mate.

This year marks her fourth budget cycle, she said. It is Reilly’s eighth.
"Each time you learn a little more, and look toward the experience of others," said Baron.
Reily spoke about the inequities he has seen within the town’s clerical staff, she said. "Over the past four years, the margin has widened," she said.

In some cases, an uncomfortable working relationship has developed because of pay differences, she said.
"We believe in our people" We want them to work as a team," Baron said.

At budget time, each supervisor comes to the board and explains how wonderful their staff is and how worthy of a raise their employees are, she said.
Because the town’s workforce is so small, she said, "We can’t have too many levels."

Reilly’s proposal for two tiers — a top level and a lower level — puts a cap on raises, said Baron. The top level was determined to be $19.28 per hour for the proposed 2008 budget, she said. Once an employee reaches that level, they would be eligible for the COLA only, she eaid.
Clark said that he has unsuccessfully lobbied the board to adopt a different way of providing raises for employees. He refers to it as a "systematic job ladder."

The town should have a category of jobs and a list of what the employees for those positions should be paid relative to other jobs, he said. The salary should reflect the amount of responsibility and skills involved, he said.
"The board prefers to decide on a person-by-person basis without any systematic way of distinguishing between jobs," said Clark.
"I think there should be at least four levels of skill and responsibility," he said. "You can’t balance a budget on the backs of employees" It’s not really fair," he said, adding that denying raise requests affects employee morale.
"I’m not happy with the manner in which decisions were made about individual employees," said Clark.

Baron said that very few positions warranted a raise.
The assessing clerk’s job responsibility changed, and, said Baron,"We felt we would be comfortable with her getting more than a COLA." Under the 2008 proposal, she will earn $17.40 per hour, up from $16.41 per hour this year.
The same was true with the building department clerk, she said. Her job duties have expanded as she has progressed in the position, Baron said. "That could be justified," said Baron of the raise given to the building department clerk. She is slated to get $13.41 per hour, up from $12.65 this year.
Raises were also given to clerks for the town justices and the highway department, Baron said. "We felt that, because all the supervisors felt they were worth more, we felt comfortable with it," she said.
"We’re looking to be fiscally responsible to the town residents," said Baron. "I didn’t see any big job changes in any other category," she said.

The town assessor, Julie Nooney, had requested a pay increase of nearly $9,000, bringing her salary to $55,000. Nooney told the board that she is skilled at her job, and has gone through a townwide revaluation.
"The building inspector has a much higher salary, but I believe the responsibilities are parallel," Nooney said. The building inspector this year earned $52,624. The budget proposal increases his salary by $5,400 in addition to the COLA because of more duties for storm-water management, said Clark. His proposed 2008 salary is $59,602.

Clark backed the raise for Nooney but was outnumbered and the board decided that she should get only the COLA.

Board members are slated to earn $7,626 in 2008, and the supervisor is to earn $54,523 for the full-time post.

Senior outreach

The town’s senior outreach liaison, Susan Kidder, will now be working full time. The board approved the change and it is reflected in the 2008 preliminary budget. When the position was created, it was very part-time — the liaison primarily handed out informative pamphlets to the town’s elderly residents. The job has steadily grown — 20 hours per week became 30 hours per week in last year’s budget cycle, and now, it is full-time.

The change reflects a salary increase of roughly $7,000, to $29,178 annually.

Baron, who is the town board’s liaison for senior citizens, said that she has been impressed with the program’s growth.

When Kidder was appointed, Baron said, the board requested that she provide monthly reports. The reports really reflect the need for the position, she said.

The latest federal census, for 2000, showed that, since 1990, said Baron, the town’s population as a whole has decreased, while the senior population has increased.

In 1990, New Scotland’s population was 9,139; it decreased to 8,626 in the 2000 census. It increased slightly to 8,711 in 2006, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Seniors make up about 16 or 17 percent of the town’s population, said Baron.
"We have to do our part to make sure they have the things they need," she said.
As senior liaison, Kidder’s job entails providing elderly residents with information regarding services offered by the county, Baron said. "We need someone to help spread the word," she said.
Kidder helps people to understand, said Baron. "She’s a voice, a connection" She helps educate them," she said.
In February, the town was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Albany County and started "The Yellow Bus" program in which the town rents a bus and a driver from the Voorheesville School District to transport seniors to various community events.
"I’m just thrilled it’s gone so well" Seniors really appreciate and enjoy it," said Baron.

In the preliminary 2008 budget, the board allocated $10,000 to finance a 14-passenger senior van.
The $10,000, said Clark, is a "demonstration of the board’s intention to finance a van" We haven’t decided the best way to go about it."
The senior outreach program has "really been such a positive thing," said Baron. "There is no question we’re all extremely pleased" with the job that Kidder does, she said.

Major changes

Through the budget workshop process, the town board chose to spend $38,000 to replace the roof at Town Hall. The board decided to use funds from the 2007 budget instead of the 2008 budget, Clark said this week.
"It leaves less money in the fund balance, but it doesn’t appear in the ’08 budget," he said.
"Roof work is already underway, he said.
"I’m just thrilled it’s being accomplished in 2007," said Baron of the roof project.

The board also approved $4,000 for a software upgrade for the building department.

Last year, the board voted in favor of separating election costs out of the budget, making it a separate line item.

Clark said he guesses that the costs for 2008 will be about $28,000.

The problem, he said, is the town has not yet been charged by the county for 2007 election costs, and has not yet been told what those costs will be.
"I talked to the board of elections, and they don’t know either," said Clark. "It depends on what the legislature decides regarding voting machines," he said.
"It’s quite a mess" There is a total absence of information. We don’t know what to do, so we’re guessing," said Clark.