Town of Rochester Town Board held the public hearing on proposed 2023 Town Budget on November 3, 2022 at 6:00pm at the Harold Lipton Community Center, 15 Tobacco Road Accord, NY.
PRESENT:
Councilman Michael Coleman Councilwoman Erin Enouen
Councilman Adam Paddock Councilwoman Charlotte Smiseth
Supervisor Michael Baden Town Clerk Kathleen Gundberg
Supervisor Baden called the meeting to order and led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
An outline of the proposed budget was presented to the public.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD:
Carl Langer: Thank you for this outline it helps a lot, and this budget is very different from what was on the website on Friday. I’m glad to see the Board found creative ways to change the general fund budget.
Martha Tardibuono: Much of my questions were regarding the prior budget posted. In our Town 43 % have an income of less than $ 50,000, our poverty is at 12 %. With the proposed raise.
Rhinebeck population is 7,666 and the Supervisor makes $ 37,400
Rosendale population is 5,075 and the Supervisor makes $ 32,500
I don’t know where you justify this increase of one gets more and others must pay for it.
Roxanne Blanchard: thank you for the presentation. In Forbes 9/8 article it read that an annual pay raise is 3-4 % possibly 5%. This increase is way out of line with a standard increase.
Bea Haugen-Depuy: to enlarge the salary of the Supervisor to $ 49,400 what other line does the Supervisor have? The budget officer and I see this year it has increased to $ 9,100 showing an increase of salary from $ 48,412 to $ 58,500. That is a 22.6 % increase, I am third in line saying the same thing and I don’t know if you are doing this to boost your retirement, but this does not help those that are retired, not when gas is $ 7.00- and 150-gallons costs over $ 1,000.00. We can’t take another tax increase. I noticed the Board had a shortfall of $ 50,000 and held a meeting on Friday. The $ 250,000 was not showing in Capital Projects and $ 300,000 in expenditure not showing and some of the tape was inaudible I couldn’t hear Councilman Coleman over his mask. Did some of the money come out of the contingency? The income as the Town Clerk as well has other lines I don’t know if Kate gets paid for records management or even, she even takes the Town Historian salary that puts her salary at $ 60,612.00. From what I can see the Highway Superintendent shows the only true salary making $ 69,033.00. The Council increase is 10.6% what are you basing this on? Mike your salary at a 35-hour work week with the 23 % increase is going to be $ 39.00 per hour and I don’t care how you want to break it down into dollars and cents to make it look less.
Lorraine Iocovello: I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but I am retired on social security with a small pension. I don’t begrudge a raise, you all work hard I know Kate works hard and with the increase cost of fuel, groceries, gas we are all struggling to make ends meet on what we have. I don’t care if you’re a woman, person of color, trans, gay I’d say the same thing. You all have your other jobs. Again, I don’t begrudge you a raise but remember we are all struggling.
Troy Dunn: We are all squeezed right now. In case of the Supervisor’s raise what are the written responsibilities of the Supervisor and job descriptions for the elected officials? Elected officials job descriptions are written into NYS Law and the Supervisor has 16 job duties. Regarding KAFAS I feel like the Board took the easy way out. I didn’t know anything was going on with KAFAS and shame on me. The tax structure needs to change it used to be if you had land, you were rich and had money so slap another tax bill, but a primary resident is taxed on every parcel they have. I wish the Town Board had sat down and found a new system or way to fund this and not put the burden on landowner. KAFAS was a hot item apparently and I didn’t know about it but maybe we can come up with better notifications other than the little legal notice in the paper.
Tina Bergan-Russell: everyone has something to say about Mike Baden getting a raise it is not just Mike Baden getting one. As a volunteer for the Town, I see a lot and I have had to talk with each one of them all hours of the day and they are invaluable. I watch the meetings and the Town is not the same as it was 2 years ago. With COVID those 16 job descriptions you mention got even bigger than they were 2 years ago. I volunteer at the exchange and the transfer station employees make $ 16.00 per hour they need to be making more we are better than this. Our people don’t make enough. I’m ashamed, I want to be the person who makes a difference.
Seth Woodbury: regarding the additional jobs that were mentioned earlier, those are required positions that will be outsourced, the expense is still there, and we trusted to put them in these positions.
Chris Hewitt: Ulster County Legislator Representative. There is fuzzy logic with using poverty level to compare a raise and fuzzy logic with rise in gas prices. Should we all have a decreased salary? Our elected officials professionally work hard for everybody.
Zorian Pinsky: regarding the CEO. I know the Town has been short on the Code Enforcement work force but for 5 years I have been observing a junk yard which is not allowed and I’m looking to have to Town Board enforce the law.
Shirley Avery: Social Security will have an increase of 9% and you’re asking for more. We have people that have been living here for decades that may have to consider moving. We don’t begrudge wages but it’s important as community reps that the people who live here will not be able to stay and you owe it to the people who are here. Folks may not have the same income and it’s falling on deaf ears. Please think about the farmers, milk price is low be fair to the self-employed and be fair to your neighbors.
Gerry Fornino: I have been the emergency management coordinator for the past 15 years and proud to do this job. I retired after 9/11 due to health issues and settled here with my wife and raised our daughter and last night they were telling me that when I go, they don’t know if they will be able to afford to live here. My wife doesn’t even make $ 20.00 per hour and she runs a store. On 9/12/01 this country was about the U.S., cops, firefighters, EMS, all Americans and we are losing this. I only hope this Board does what is the right thing to do. Everyone is hurting in some way.
John Messerschmidt: In my opinion think you all are doing a great job and deserving of a raise. Are taxes done only through assessed value?
Margaret Dewitt: My family has been here since the 1600’s and I was forced to retire dairy farmer. I sold development rights on one parcel. I think everyone here would be comfortable with maybe a 10 % raise can you consciously ask the Town to pay for the increase? Milk was a set price and there was no negotiating.
Judy Hasbrouck: I worked 27 years in an executive position, and we would get a 2-3 % raise over a period of time. There is a small raise in Social Security, we are still trying to stay here and survive seems greedy to ask for this kind of a raise after a decent raise last year.
Bea Haugen-Depuy: to the young man who spoke run for office. They knew the job when they took it, if they didn’t want to do it then they shouldn’t. If nothing else be heard tonight hear we cannot afford this raise, it is a large chunk in one year and this is your second job. We cannot afford you at 22%. I hope the 4 members at the table cut you back.
Seth Woodbury: What would the amount cost the taxpayer for this raise? I believe it’s a $ 1.75.
Tina Bergan-Russell: The school taxes are a lot and people need to call Albany and start the conversation of having our school taxes lowered and the tax structure redone. If everyone here tonight used that passion they have tonight towards the greater good we can make a change.
CLOSURE OF PUBLIC HEARING:
Resolution # 434-2022:
A Motion was made by Councilwoman Smiseth to adjourn the public hearing at 7:51pm.
Second: Councilman Paddock motion carried