Town of Rochester Town Board held a Special Meeting on November 17, 2021 at 7:00pm at Harold Lipton Community Center, 15 Tobacco Road, Accord, NY 12404
Livestream Broadcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg7ykop50cWmqPFUpgDjRSQ
PRESENT:
Councilwoman Erin Enouen Councilwoman Bea Haugen-Depuy
Councilman Chris Hewitt Councilman Adam Paddock
Supervisor Michael Baden Town Clerk Kathleen Gundberg
Highway Superintendent Jeff Frey
Supervisor Baden opened the meeting and led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
SUPERVISOR’S REMINDER:
November Workshop meeting is Tuesday November 30 at 6:00 pm due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
EMS SERVICE REQUEST FOR KAFAS:
Supervisor Baden stated KAFAS submitted a hybrid model for partial paid EMS. This model would be combined with the Town of Wawarsing. Currently in our budget we have $ 44,000 budgeted for KAFAS. We can maintain the budget at this amount and utilize some of the ARPA monies.
$ 150,000 would go to KAFAS
$ 15,000 would go to Marbletown Rescue Squad
This would allow time to discuss the idea of 2 ambulance districts or see what direction we want to go in regarding the EMS services.
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy asked if each of these organizations have to show us assests? Not just the profit and loss financial statement. We should know if they have a reserve or debt. It is ok for this year but I don’t want to put a band-aid on this.
Councilwoman Enouen stated that this is a good idea, if we are unable to fugure out the funding through the ambulance district we could potentially fund at this level for another year because the ARPA money needs to be used be allocated by 2024 and spent by 2025.
Councilman Paddock stated that we allocated $ 44,000 and we can give $ 106, 000 of ARPA funds to make the $ 150,000 and hope for a chance that the County comes up with something.
Supervisor Baden stated that it gives the Board time to explore ideas. Currently we have a contract that will extend to the end of this year.
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy asked if the Board plans to sit down with the Supervisor in Wawarsing.
Supervisor Baden stated that this will be up to the Rescue squad.
Councilwoman Enouen stated I agree with giving the relief money, and agree with funding money to KAFAS and helping with EMS services it’s our duty to help the welfare of the residents of our Town.
Supervisor Baden stated that a 5 year plan was distributed to the Town, the number was based on the number of households. There are a number of agencies that have to sign off on this for this to happen.
2022 CONTRACT FOR PAYROLL SERVICES:
Supervisor Baden asked the Board if they reviewed the 3 Quotes that were presented at the last meeting.
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy asked what the reasoning is for going to a payroll company.
Supervisor Baden stated 1 person has 5 jobs, payroll takes a considerable amount of time and we pay an accountant several thousand dollars a year for reconciliations, paying for a service may possibly save money. It is convenient for employees they can have a app on their phone that will update weekly paid time off.
Councilwoman Enouen stated that she is comfortable with ADP, If we terminate early we will have to pay back the free months offered?
Supervisor Baden stated yes we would.
Councilman Hewitt stated that ADP looks to be the best option.
Councilwoman Haugen Depuy asked why the current employee can’t do 40 checks? Seems like he wants to do less work and make more money.
Supervisor Baden clarified that this did not come at the request of the employee rather the Supervisor looking to a professional service.
AUTHORIZATION TO CONTRACT WITH ADP SERVICES:
Resolution # 326-2021:
A Motion was made by Councilman Paddock to authorize Supervisor Baden to enter into contract with ADP services located at 36 British American Blvd. Suite 105, Latham, NY 12110.
Second: Councilman Hewitt
Aye: 4 nay: 1- Haugen-Depuy abstain: 0 4-1, motion carried
QUOTES FOR PAYROLL SERVICES:
ADP:
50 employees, base- $ 210.00, Rate-$ 6.34, Monthly $ 527.00 Annual- $ 6,324.00
Year end forms, W2 $ 247.50 ( annual)
Implementation and set up fees waived
5 free months of service: This equates to 3 free months in year 1, and 2 free months in year 2.
PayChex:
One-time implementation fee, including a $0 payroll implementation fee $35.00
Base on 50 Employees paid weekly $155.70 per pay period
Per Employee/Check +/- fee $ 2.07
Payroll Delivery-courier $ 11.50
W-2/1099 Year-end processing $ 75.00(onetime), plus $ 6.75/ W-2 & 1099
PayServ:
Base Charge $ 29.00
Transaction Charge 40 @ $2.25 = $ 94.00
Tax payment services(federal & 1 state) $9.00
Onboarding/ HR Module $15.00
PTO Tracking $5.00
Total ost per Payroll Processing $ 152.00
One Time setup $ 150.00
Onboarding setup fee $ 500.00
Year end reports- W2/1099 Processing
Base charge $ 90.00
Per w2/1099 $ 6.75
Annual tax forms included Annual data Archive $ 75.00
• Councilwoman Enouen asked Supervisor Baden at 7:20pm if we were streaming the meeting.
• Supervisor Baden set up the zoom meeting
ASSESSOR’S OFFICE ASSISTANT:
Supervisor Baden stated the Assessor clerk position has been vacant for a period of time. Former Assessor Michael Dunham has been working as a sub contractor but his last day would be the 24th. Our current Assessor is asking for a clerk for a temporary basis. We don’t even know if or when the current employee will be back. We do have a Assessor from another County willing to come here for the clerk position. Currently the position is Field Assessment worker however it really is a Assessor Aide position. The Assessor Aide position part-time would be civil service exempt but full-tme would be competitive civil service position.
AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL WORK:
Resolution # 327-2021:
A Motion was made by Supervisor Baden that the Town of Rochester Town Board authorizes the 1st Deputy Town Clerk to work an additional 5 hours per week, effective November 28, 2021 to assist the Assessor’s Office to be paid at the regular hourly rate of pay.
Second: Councilwoman Enouen
Aye: 5 nay: 0 abstain: 0 motion carried
AMENDMENTS TO 2022 PRELIMINARY BUDGET:
Resolution # 328-2021:
A Motion was made by Supervisor Baden to amend the 2022 Preliminary Budget Highway line item;
Budget Adjustments Preliminary Final Change
Highway – Revenue -$1,025
DA2709.000 Employee Health Contributions $31,800 $30,775 -$1,025
Highway – Expenditure -$3,112
DA9060.800 Health & Medical Insurance $261,872 $258,760 -$3,112
Total Change in Highway Fund Budget -$2,087
Second: Councilman Paddock
Aye: 5 nay: 0 abstain: 0 motion carried
Resolution # 329-2021:
A Motion was made by Supervisor Baden to amend the 2022 Preliminary Budget General Fund line A2709.000 Employee health insurance $ -11,858.00 and line A9060.800 $-41,707.00.
Budget Adjustments Preliminary Final Change
General – Revenue -$11,858
A2709.000 Employee Health Contributions $58,203 $46,345 -$11,858
General – Expenditure -$41,707
A9060.800 Health & Medical Insurance $266,582 $214,836 -$51,746
Second: Councilman Hewitt
Aye: 5 nay: 0 abstain: 0 motion carried
Resolution # 330-2021:
A Motion was made by Supervisor Baden to propose a change to General Fund Budget line A1220.111 Supervisor salary to reflect a $ 5,200.00 decrease from 2021 approved salary.
Budget Adjustments Preliminary Final Change
A1220.111 Supervisor $49,400 $44,200 -$5,200
Second: Councilman Hewitt
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy offered a counter proposal to amend said resolution to amend the 2022 proposed General Fund line A1220.111 from $ 49,400 to $ 40,170.00 showing a straight 3% raise.
Second: Councilwoman Enouen
DISCUSSION:
Councilwoman Enouen stated that I heard the public at the hearing , there was a lot about about the pay increase of the Supervisor position. Initially it was 26% increase this year. I heard people say they can’t afford it and without seeing the work that goes behind it how is it justified. From what I’ve seen the past 2 Supervisors should be hirer than what the pay is, and we should have looked at the analysis of pay. We did not do that and I take my role as a Board member seriously and we could have done it differently. I take responsibility for my 1/5 share of the responsibility. I do believe that the salary should be increased, maybe some pay increase may need to be split up in parts over time.
Supervisor Baden stated the Tentative budget was prepared by the Supervisor based on the budget requests. The Board held 3 budget workshop meetings accumiliating 10 plus hours and we went through each budget line. We lowered the budget more and more.
Councilman Hewitt: We listened to the public at the hearing. I heard residents say they never received more than a 2% raise. We looked across the Board and during modern times the Supervisor position now requires more time. I heard comment of it being a part-time job that is no longer the case. There has been an increase in the Attorney fee line because we have more planning going on, people are building, we are working through COVID, the numbers of percentages are misleading. Our Transfer Station staff is going from $ 15.00 to $ 16.00 that is more than a 3% raise. Supervisor Baden is a intelligent person and creates great budgets allowing us to see each line item so we know what exact costs are and allow us opportunities to look at the budget line and make practical decisions. We do listen to everyone.
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy: from 1999-2022 9 out of the 23 years the salary of the Supervisor was not raised.
Supervisor Baden stated that for the 2022 year the proposed increase
Town Council 2.97%
Highway Superintendent 3.6%
Town Clerk 3.94%
Justice 3.14%
Why would the Supervisor line only be 3 %, the Tax Collector is getting a 68 % raise.
Councilwoman Enouen stated that the position is underpaid and we want the Supervisor salary more in line with the other elected officials with fulltime hours.
Councilman Paddock : People don’t look past their noses to see what is in front of them. Like it or not he is our Supervisor and he does amazing work. We need to attract people to the position and with this salary he can almost qualify for food stamps its embarrassing to being paying him this wage. Let me ask you this if this was a woman or a person of color sitting here would you still feel the same way?
Supervisor Baden stated that he would like to amend resolution # 330-2021 to propose a change to Budget line A1220.111 Supervisor salary to $ 40,300.00.
Second: Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy
ROLL CALL:
Councilwoman Enouen aye
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy aye
Councilman Hewitt aye
Councilman Paddock nay
Supervisor Baden abstain 3-1-1, motion carried
Let the record show there was a $ 9,100 reduction in A1220.111 budget line.
Resolution # 331-2021:
A Motion was made by Councilwoman Enouen to amend 2022 proposed budget line A 134.11 – Budget Officer amount to $ 8,110.00 giving a 4% increase.
Budget Adjustments Preliminary Final Change
A1340.111 Budget Officer $7,800 $8112 +$312
Second: Councilman Hewitt
DISCUSSION:
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy offered a counter proposal to amend said resolution to amend the 2022 proposed line A134.11 to reflect a 3 % increase.
No Second, motion not carried
The Board went back to the original resolution of;
Resolution # 331-2021:
A Motion was made by Councilwoman Enouen to amend 2022 proposed budget line A 134.11 – Budget Officer amount to $ 8,110.00 giving a 4% increase.
Second: Councilman Hewitt
ROLL CALL:
Councilwoman Enouen aye
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy nay
Councilman Hewitt aye
Councilman Paddock aye
Supervisor Baden abstain 3-1-1, motion carried
Resolution # 332-2021:
A Motion was made by Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy to amend 2022 proposed budget line A11220.112.
Not a single employee in the budget line received an increase salary from the previous person and now asking for additional 5 % on a position that he hasn’t been in for half the year.
No second, motion not carried
Resolution #332 -2021:
A Motion was made by Supervisor Baden to amend the medicare line $ 75,761
Budget Adjustments Preliminary Final Change
A9030.800 FICA-MEDI $76,434 $75,761 -$673
Second: Councilman Paddock
Aye: 5 aye: 0 abstain: 0 motion carried
Resolution # 333-2021:
A Motion was made by Supervisor Baden to lower the Attorney lines budget $ 5,500.00 showing a 6 % cut.
Second: Councilman Hewitt
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy: why do we need her at each meeting? Can’t we take suggested questions write it down and answer later.
Councilman Paddock: Our Attorney is not at every meeting but if we were not to have her at the meetings it can delay decisions that need to be made or put things off.
Councilwoman Enouen: I attend every Planning and ZBA meeting and I see the amount of hours the attorney puts into each application. Without consulting with the Chairs of these two Boards I would rather not change their budget line amounts.
Budget Adjustments Preliminary Final Change
A1420.441 Law-Supervisor $16,000 $15,000 -$1,000
A1420.442 Law-Town Board $30,000 $28,500 -$1,500
A1420.443 Law – Planning Board $30,000 $28,500 -$1,500
A1420.444 Law-Zoning Board of Appeals $10,000 $8,500 -$1,500
ROLL CALL:
Councilwoman Enouen aye
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy nay
Councilman Hewitt aye
Councilman Paddock aye
Supervisor Baden aye 4-1, motion carried
Supervisor Baden stated that currently we are at a 4.63 % decrease in taxes. We are the only Town in the County with a decrease.
Resolution # 334-2021:
A Motion was made by Councilwoman Enouen to amend 2022 proposed budget line A1620.440: professional services fund from $ 90, 000 to $ 115,000.
Budget Adjustments Preliminary Final Change
A1620.440 Buildings, Professional Services $65,000 $90,000 +$25,000
Second: Councilman Paddock
DISCUSSION:
Councilwoman Enouen stated from what I am hearing it sounds like the skatetime location is a no from many people and I would like us to start discussing the idea of the alternatives in case the referendum does not pass. I would like to see us put an additional $ 25, 000.00 into this budget line for us to use for either a feasibility study or to address some of the infracture issues in the building conditions plans.
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy: are we going to spend this money in addition to the purchase of skatetime if it passes? I don’t believe this should be done at this time.
Supervisor Baden stated that he agreed with that statement .We have a steady fund balance. 30 % of our current budget. We can always move money around next year.
Councilwoman Enouen stated that I’m planning on the referendum vote not passing but it doesn’t solve the infrastructure issue and I am going to be very angry if next year I hear that there is no money to fix some of these issues. We were asked to get ideas from the public and that’s what we are doing.
Councilman Hewitt stated that putting this money in the budget it is insuring a solution orientated process.
ROLL CALL:
Councilwoman Enouen aye
Councilwoman Haugen-Depuy nay
Councilman Hewitt aye
Councilman Paddock aye
Supervisor Baden nay 3-2, motion carried
ADOPTION OF 2022 TOWN OF ROCHESTER FINAL BUDGET:
Resolution # 335-2021:
A Motion was made by Supervisor Baden that the Town of Rochester Town Board hereby adopts the 2022 Final Budget, as presented, and authorizes the Town Supervisor and the Town Clerk to remit same to Ulster County Department of Finance.
Second: Councilwoman Enouen
General Fund $200,427,895 Expenditure and 622,747 Tax Levy
Highway Fund $1,986,815 Expenditure and $1,398,340 Tax Levy
Capital Projects $0 Expenditure and $0 Tax Levy
Accord Lighting $ 2,520 Expenditure and $ 1,465 Tax Levy
Kerhonkson Lighting $ 1,620 Expenditure and $ 940 Tax Levy
Berme Road Lighting $ 630 Expenditure and $ 365 Tax Levy
There is an additional $ 27,386.00 decrease in changes in the General Fund Budget and $ 2,087.00 decrease in the Highway Fund budget showing an overall decrease in taxes by 3.38 %. Well Done!
ADJOURNMENT:
A Motion was made by Councilman Hewitt to adjourn the meeting at 8:50pm.
Second: Councilwoman Enouen
Motion carried
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
KATHLEEN A. GUNDBERG
TOWN CLERK