Budget Workshop Meeting Minutes March 4, 2025
BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING – VILLAGE OF NORTHVILLE
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
The Village Board met Tuesday, March 4, 2024 at 3:45 PM.
Present: Sue Eckert, Mayor
John Markiewicz , Trustee
Janet Rudd, Trustee
Sue Sedon, Trustee
Kathleen Terwilliger, Trustee
Wendy Reu, Recording Secretary
Nathanial Matthews, Treasurer
Absent:
Public Attendance:
Mayor Eckert called the meeting to order at 3:45 pm.
Mayor Eckert and Treasurer Matthews presented the tentative budget for the Board’s review.
Treasurer Matthews presented the Salary schedule for full time employees. He reported that the proposed salary for the Mayor would remain the same $ 8,000.00; and the Trustees would remain the same at $ 3,000.00.
Treasurer Matthews informed the Board that his recommended tentative budget overrides the tax cap. He explained that there have been a lot of one time spending incidents, especially with the creation of the police department and getting them fully operational. He stated it is more than we anticipated. Treasurer Matthews indicated we are still playing catch up on the ongoing costs of the Lexipol and Axxon subscription systems which are vital to the operation of the department. He also stated that we also have part time officers that are supplementing the Chief in the department. He stated that goods in general are costing more, in addition to increased fuel costs. Treasurer Matthews stated he weeded the budget down as much as he could and got it to a point where we only had $27,000.00 in fund balance.
Treasurer Matthews explained to the Board that the NYS tax cap is 2.1%. He stated that the tentative budget before the Board was a recommended 3.91% increase that would be an increase of approximately $32.00/year on a $ 100,000.00 assessment.
Treasurer Matthews went through the entire tentative budget, line by line, explaining areas of significant change and answering questions from the Board and made changes where requested. He stated the reserves are healthy. He reported that health insurance costs are holding the line at 2% increase versus double digit increases that agencies are facing. Treasurer Matthews stated he has shifted some salaries and benefits over to the water fund in another effort to try to meet the tax cap but he still feels the cap needs to be overridden. He prepared a draft law authorizing a tax levy in excess of the tax cap for the Board’s consideration.
After discussion, Trustee Markiewicz made a motion to override the tax cap and proceed with Local Law #2 of 2025. The motion was seconded by Mayor Eckert and carried by voice vote as follows:
AYE: Mayor Eckert, Trustee Markiewicz, Trustee Terwilliger
NAY: Trustee Rudd, Trustee Sedon
ABSTAIN: 0
After discussion, the Board directed Treasurer Matthews to establish the tentative tax rate as $ 9.67 / $ 1,000.00 which was an increase of 3.91 %, exceeding the tax cap.
Trustee Rudd asked who paid for the electric for the car charges in the Village. Treasurer Matthews indicated that the Town pays for the electricity for the charges at the Bradt building and the Village pays for the ones in the Waterfront Park. He indicated the chargers were obtained with grant funds and we have no way of monitoring or measuring them. Trustee Rudd stated that members of the public have expressed concern that workers in the building are plugging their vehicles in and the public doesn’t feel they should have to pay for electric for those workers to come to work. She stated that some vehicles are parked there, hooked up to the charger all day. Treasurer Matthews stated that personally, he doesn’t drive his car without a charge so that is why he hooks it up when he comes to work. He admits that he has been lazy about going out to unplug it but just because it is hooked up every day, it is not charging every day.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business before the Board, motion was made to adjourn by Trustee Sedon, seconded by Trustee Rudd and passed by voice vote with no one dissenting. The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Wendy Reu
Village Clerk
