[00:01:00]
OKAY, FOLKS, IT IS NOW 8:00 AM UH, AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THIS SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING OF THE HAMBURG TOWN BOARD.
UM, LET US BEGIN THE MEETING AS WE TYPICALLY DO WITH THE ROLL CALL FROM THE CLERK AND MUTE MYSELF.
COUNCIL MEMBER CONLEY PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER UFFORD PRESENT.
AND I WOULD ASK, I'LL DO, UH, RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY.
SO, UM, BEFORE WE BEGIN, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? SURE.
I KNOW I HAD SEVERAL, UM, INDIVIDUALS, DIFFERENT RESIDENTS CONTACT ME REGARDING WHETHER, UM, THIS MEETING HAD RECEIVED THE PROPER NOTICE FOR IT TO TAKE PLACE.
SO I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA FOR THAT TO BE CLARIFIED FOR EVERYONE.
SO, UM, IN SCHEDULING THIS MEETING, UH, WE HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION AROUND SELECTING THE DATE AND MANNER IN WHICH WE WERE GONNA CONDUCT MEETING.
AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE, WE THEN, UH, LOOKED AT WHAT THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE, AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE TOWN ATTORNEY, UH, WE DECIDED THAT, UH, NOTICING THE MEETING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS THE TOWN WEBSITE, UH, WAS SUFFICIENT.
THE TOWN CLERK, UH, DID RECOMMEND JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE TO PUT NOTICE IN THE HAMBRICK SUN, DESPITE NOT BEING REQUIRED TO, UH, WE DID MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THAT NOTICE PUT IN THE HAMBRICK SUN.
HOWEVER, UH, THE AD DID NOT APPEAR IN THE HAMBRICK SUN, AND I'M SURE THAT, UH, WE CAN PRODUCE WHATEVER DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO FIND, UH, TO SEE THAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE TOWN OF HAMBURG AND THE HAMBURG SUN.
BUT IT DID SUPERVISOR, IT DID APPEAR IN THE BUFFALO NEWS.
YEAH, WE JUST, AS A PRECAUTION, WE SENT IT THERE ANYWAY, AND IT WAS IN THE BUFFALO NEWS.
AND WHEN WAS THAT? KATHY? UM, I, I HAVE IT HERE SOMEWHERE.
IT WAS LIKE TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.
SO THAT'S WHEN IT APPEARED IN THE NEWS THEN? YEAH.
IT SAYS IT WENT INTO THEM NOVEMBER 13TH.
ANYTHING FURTHER? COUNCIL MEMBER FARRELL, ARE YOU SATISFIED? NOTHING FURTHER.
SO, UM, I THINK WHAT WOULD, UH, BE APPROPRIATE, WELL, FIRST, UM, IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT FORMAT.
[00:05:01]
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW 28 PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE VIEWING AND AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING, UM, NOT AFTER THE CONCLUSION, BUT BEFORE THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING, UH, AS WE TYPICALLY DO, WE CAN PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION.UH, SO THAT'LL BE AFTER WE CONCLUDE THE BUDGET DISCUSSION AND BUDGET RESOLUTIONS.
ONCE WE DO THAT, UH, THIS WILL BE NO DIFFERENT THAN OUR IN-PERSON MEETINGS WHERE WE WILL, UH, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE WELCOME TO RAISE THEIR HAND.
UH, AND I CAN SEE EVERYBODY THAT RAISES THEIR HAND AND IS INTERESTED IN SPEAKING.
FOLKS WILL BE AFFORDED THREE MINUTES.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT YOU HIT THE THREE MINUTE MARK.
WE'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER REMINDER AT FIVE MINUTES.
UM, BUT OUR HOPE IS THAT AT THAT POINT YOU'RE ABLE TO CONCLUDE YOUR REMARKS, UH, SO THAT ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WOULD THE CHANCE TO DO SO.
UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BUDGET DISCUSSION, I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE THAT WE REVIEW, UH, WHERE WE'VE BEEN DUE DATE.
THE TOWN LAW REQUIRES THE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO SUBMIT, UH, A TENTATIVE BUDGET BY NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 30TH, I BELIEVE WE SUBMITTED THAT.
I SUBMITTED THE, UH, PRELIM TENTATIVE BUDGET BY SEPTEMBER 27TH OF THIS YEAR.
UH, THE, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, THE, UH, BUDGET OFFICER PROVIDE DEPARTMENT HEADS OF ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS WITH THE PROPER, PROPER FORMS. AND WE HAD BUDGET MEETINGS.
THE LIAISONS HAD DISCUSSIONS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, AND I HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
TO CRAFT THAT BUDGET, THE TOWN CLERK IS THEN REQUIRED TO PRESENT THE TENTATIVE BUDGET TO THE TOWN BOARD ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 5TH, WHICH HAPPENED AT OUR FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER.
AT THAT POINT, UH, THE TOWN BOARD IS ABLE TO MAKE REVISIONS AND PREPARE THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, AND THAT PRELIMINARY BUDGET IS FILED WITH THE TOWN CLERK.
THE TOWN BOARD IS ALSO REQUIRED TO PUBLISH A NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING.
AT LEAST FIVE DAYS SHALL ELAPSE BETWEEN THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION AND THE DATE SPECIFIED FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND OUR PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
IN FACT, THE PUBLIC HEARING NEEDS TO BE HELD ON OR BEFORE THE THURSDAY, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE GENERAL ELECTION.
UH, THE HEARING MAY BE ADJOURNED FROM DAY TO DAY, BUT NOT BEYOND NOVEMBER 15TH, FINAL REVISIONS.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
UH, IT CAN BE MADE TO THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, UH, AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT PRIOR TO ADOPTION, THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE REVISIONS AND ADOPT A BUDGET TODAY.
THE LAST TIME WE MET AS THE TOWN BOARD, WE HAD, UH, WE HAD THE, THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAD OUR SECOND WORK SESSION DEVOTED TO, UH, BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.
AND AT THAT POINT, WHILE THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE AGREEMENT AND SOME STARCH TOWARDS CONSENSUS ON THE TOWN BOARD ABOUT THE BUDGET AND MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS, UH, SOME BOARD MEMBERS EXPRESSED, UH, THE WISH TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO DEPARTMENT HEADS, OUR FINANCE STAFF AND EACH OTHER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A FULLY INFORMED, UH, BUDGET PROCESS, UH, AND, AND PUT FORTH A BUDGET THAT MAKES SENSE FOR US ALL.
SO, UH, WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH EACH OTHER, WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENT HEADS THOSE CHANGES.
SO WE CAN, I'D BE HAPPY TO, TO OPEN UP THE, THE FLOOR FOR ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, UM, PROPOSE SOME CHANGES.
I DO HAVE A BUDGET RESOLUTION THAT, UM, I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD STARTING POINT, AND I COULD START WITH THAT.
UH, UNLESS ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY OTHER ISSUES, YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU HAVE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO OVER? YES.
AND I WILL PULL THAT UP TO MY SCREEN.
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OKAY.CAN EVERYBODY SEE THAT OKAY? YES.
CAN YOU ENLARGE IT AT ALL? NOT ON MY END.
HOW'S THIS, IS THAT BETTER? IS THAT APPEARING LARGER? NO, NO.
IS CAN YOU READ IT OR SHOULD I BE LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO THIS? RANDY? IF YOU DOWNLOAD IT, UM, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO INCREASE YOUR SCREEN SIZE THAT WAY.
WELL, I'VE BEEN, I'VE INCREASED MY SCREEN SIZE.
IT APPEARS AT 180% ON MY SCREEN.
IS THAT ANY BETTER? HASN'T CHANGED.
I MEAN, I CAN READ IT, UM, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY ELSE CAN.
I'M SORRY, WHAT'S THAT? I, I, I MEAN, I CAN HIT VIEW OPTIONS AND YOU CAN ZOOM IT IN YOURSELF.
FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T READ IT, CAN, CAN EVERYBODY READ IT OR IT'S JUST VERY SMALL, BUT I THINK IF, IF IT'S GONE THROUGH POINT BY POINT, SOME OF IT'S A LITTLE FUZZY HERE, BUT IT MAY, WELL, IF YOU GO TO THE TOP AND YOU GO TO VIEW OPTIONS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ZOOM IT.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S WHERE I WAS, BUT IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T ZOOMING IN.
I WAS ABLE TO ZOOM MINE AND I CAN SEE IT FINE.
SO, UM, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS, IS A RESOLUTION AND, UH, SEVERAL BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
AND WE CAN WALK THROUGH THEM LINE BY LINE.
BUT FIRST WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TALK ABOUT WHERE AND HOW I ARRIVED AT THESE AMENDMENTS.
AND, UM, I HOPE WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE IS, UH, A COMPROMISE, UH, BECAUSE WE ALL BROUGHT, UH, DIFFERENT IDEAS AND THOUGHTS TO THIS BUDGET, AND I BELIEVE WE'VE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS AND EXPRESS THOSE, THOSE THOUGHTS.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IN THIS
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, ACROSS, UH, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THOSE, ALL THOSE NUMBERS IN THE BRACKETS THERE.
UM, AND THAT'S DUE PRIMARILY TO, UH, REDUCING, UH, ALL MANAGEMENT CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES TO A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT RAISE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FARRELL LORENZ TOOK ISSUE WITH, UM, NOT BEING, UH, COMPLETELY, UH, UH, EVEN HANDED WITH ALL OF THE MANAGEMENT CONFIDENTIAL RAISES.
SO RATHER THAN INCLUDING RAISES FOR, I THINK THERE WAS ABOUT, UH, MAYBE SIX, SEVEN EMPLOYEES WHO WERE RECEIVING A 5% OR 6% RAISE RATHER THAN THREE AND A HALF, WE REDUCE THOSE TO THREE AND A HALF.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE HERE A, UM, AN ADDITION
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OF, UH, BUDGET TO THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, UH, AN ADDITION IN THE PERSONNEL LINE AND A REDUCTION IN THE CONTRACTED SERVICES LINE.THE CONTRACTED SERVICES LINE WAS WHAT WE HAD INTENDED ON PAYING, UH, THE ASSESSOR DAN STANFORD IN 2024.
WE ALL KNOW MR. STANFORD HAS RESIGNED, UH, AND WE'VE HIRED, UH, MS. KIM MERCER AS A FULL-TIME SALARIED EMPLOYEE.
YOU ALSO SEE A MOVE HERE TO MOVE FUNDS FROM A CENTRAL DATA PROCESSING TO FINANCE.
UM, THAT'S JUST TAKING ONE POSITION, UH, FROM ONE DEPARTMENT AND TRANSFERRING IT TO THE, UH, THE FINANCE, FINANCE UNIT.
UM, YOU WILL ALSO SEE, UM, AN INCREASE IN OUR ANTICIPATED INVESTMENT REVENUE.
UH, AND WHILE I HAD SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT INCREASING, UH, OUR PROJECTED INVESTMENT REVENUE, THERE WAS DESIRE ON THE TOWN BOARD FOR, UH, TO, TO LOWER THE 2.9% TAX RATE INCREASE.
UM, SO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A REASONABLE COMPROMISE WAS 65,000, UH, IN TO INCREASE OUR INTEREST ON INVESTMENT.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN, IN ONE OF THE LOWER LINES THERE.
THIS IS A NUMBER THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH.
UM, IT MAY BE A BIT ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE, BUT IF WE'D LEARNED ANYTHING FROM THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES, A LOT OF VOL VOLATILITY IN MARKETS, UM, ALL KINDS OF ISSUES.
AND, AND I BELIEVE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, UH, IN THIS IS, IS PRUDENT.
UM, SO THESE CHANGES WILL REDUCE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FROM 2.9% TO 2.4%.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER, UM, CHANGES HERE, UM, THAT ARE, ARE BUDGET NEUTRAL INVOLVING, UH, MOVING SOME, SOME FUNDS, UH, IN THE IT DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I, OH, THOSE ARE FOR, UH, JUST, UH, MOVING CONTRACT COSTS FOR, FOR FLOCK CAMERAS, UH, AND SOME, SOME EXPENSES IDENTIFIED BY THE IT DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE IN A DIFFERENT LINE.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT I COVERED THE BASICS OF THIS PROPOSAL, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN, UH, ANY QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME.
RANDY, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ON THE, UM, INTEREST ON INVESTMENT, YOU HAD STATED 65,000, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY 165,000 BECAUSE A HUNDRED FROM THE A FUND AND 65 IS FROM THE B, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION, JOHN.
SO AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN DISCUSSION TO THE TOWN BOARD, UH, FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR, OR DISCUSSION ON THESE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
I JUST WOULD COMMENT ON THE FACT THAT, AS YOU ELUDE ALLUDED TO EARLIER, WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF DIALOGUE, UM, NOT ONLY AT THE MEETINGS, BUT UM, IN THE LAST, UH, WEEK IN TERMS OF CHANGES AND ADJUSTMENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I COULD SAY PERSONALLY, IF IT WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT MY DECISION THIS IS, IS, IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE BUDGET I WOULD HAVE,
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AND I THINK, UM, EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD, UM, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD ALSO SAY THE SAME THING.UM, AND THAT'S WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIALOGUE, THE COMPROMISE, THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT ALL GONNA HAVE, UM, THE EXACT NUMBERS AND, AND LINE ITEMS THE WAY WE PERSONALLY WANT IT, UH, IS JUST THE REALITY OF THE PROCESS OF, OF, OF FIVE PEOPLE NEEDING TO COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, ONE FINAL BUDGET.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED ON THE, UH, INVESTMENT SIDE, THERE WERE A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES I WANTED TO SEE.
UH, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, CERTAINLY NOT ALL THE ADJUSTMENTS I RECOMMENDED.
UM, AND I, I KNOW OTHER, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HAD RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, AND CHANGES, UM, THAT, THAT THEY WANTED, THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HAVEN'T BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITH, WITH, WITH THE UPDATES.
UM, BUT I THINK ON BALANCE, UM, AND I ALSO WAS IN AGREEMENT IN TERMS OF THE MANAGEMENT CONFIDENTIAL BEING, UH, A SET 3.5, UM, I THINK WE'VE MADE, UM, GOOD ADJUSTMENTS THAT, UM, AREN'T GONNA PLEASE ALL OF US, BUT, UM, ARE AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE BUDGET.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE, THE, THE GOAL OF KEEPING THE BUDGET UNDER THE INFLATION RATE, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS CURRENTLY 3.2, WE'RE AT 2.4.
UM, IT REALLY LENDS ITSELF TO WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST THREE BUDGETS, WHICH IS KEEP THE RATE, UH, WELL UNDER INFLATION, UH, BUT ALSO NOT COMPROMISE THE LONG-TERM FISCAL VIABILITY OF THE TOWN AND POSITIONS US, UH, TO WEATHER, YOU KNOW, ANY POTENTIAL STORMS THAT MIGHT, MIGHT LIE AHEAD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A 1.27% FOUR YEARS AGO, 2%, THREE YEARS AGO, 0% LAST YEAR, AND NOW 2.4% THIS YEAR, UM, IS IN MY OPINION, UM, VERY, UH, SOLID SOUND, UH, WELL THOUGHT OUT.
UM, DISCIPLINED FISCAL APPROACH TO KEEPING TAXES LOW WHILE MAINTAINING SERVICES AND ALSO, UH, AGAIN, POSITIONING THE TOWN VERY WELL FOR THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE THE HIGHEST FUND BALANCE IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN THAT I'M AWARE OF, UH, CERTAINLY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO ME.
UM, SO TO KEEP THE TAXES WELL UNDER THE INFLATION RATE WHILE ALSO BUILDING UP OUR EMERGENCY RESERVES, OUR RAINY DAY FUND, UM, TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL IT'S BEEN, UH, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT THE, THE TAXPAYERS AND HOPEFULLY THE RESIDENTS, UH, CAN BE, CAN BE PROUD OF AND, AND, UH, UH, WELL POSITIONED, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR FUTURE BOARDS TO CONTINUE, UH, THIS FISCAL DISCIPLINE, UH, FISCAL DISCIPLINE.
I WOULD, UM, WELL, I'M, I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE, THE FUND BALANCE MYSELF.
UH, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A TOWN BOARD HAVE AGREED AS A PRIORITY.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE THE FUND BALANCE, UM, AND IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING PROPOSITION THAT IT MADE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIKELY THE, THE HIGHEST AMOUNT EVER, UM, PROBABLY HAS A LOT MORE TO DO WITH, WITH INFLATION OVER TIME.
UM, I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST WE'VE, WE HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGH END.
UM, BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THAT WHILE IT'S RECOMMENDED TO HAVE A FUND BALANCE BETWEEN 14 AND 16%, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE CLOSER TO THE 16% MARK THAN WE ARE THE 14% MARK, BUT WE'RE ONLY $300,000 AWAY FROM THE 14% MARK FROM THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE THRESHOLD THAT WE WANNA STAY WITHIN $300,000 COULD BE A, A PUMP STATION REPAIR, IT COULD BE A, A WATER MAIN PROJECT.
UM, SO THAT THAT CAN GO QUICK.
SO IT'S CERTAINLY POSITIVE, AND THIS SHOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO OUR BOND RATING MOVING FORWARD.
I DO THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROTECT THAT FUND BALANCE, AND I BELIEVE THIS BUDGET DOES EXACTLY THAT.
UH, AND JUST TO KIND OF ELABORATE, 'CAUSE MANY OF THE RESIDENTS MAY, MAY NOT BE AWARE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID FOUR YEARS AGO WAS SIT DOWN WITH THE, UH,
[00:25:01]
THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE DECISIONS IN TERMS OF A BOND RATING.AND THE BOND RATING IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR MUNICIPALITIES BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHEN WE GO OUT TO GET DEBT, AND WE'VE ALWAYS HAD DEBT, EVERY MUNICIPALITY HAS DEBT.
UM, WE WERE IN A VERY VULNERABLE POSITION AND WE WERE IN A POSITION THAT PUT US, UM, BELOW MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES IN TERMS OF THE RATING THAT WE WERE GIVEN THROUGH MOODY'S AND STANDARDS AND POOR AND THE OTHER RATING AGENCIES, WHICH IS VITALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT REALLY MEANT THAT WHEN WE WERE GOING OUT TO BORROW MONEY, WE WERE AT A DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE WE WERE BE, WE WERE BORROWING THAT MONEY AT A HIGHER RATE THAN OTHER NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES.
AND ONE OF THE FACTORS, THERE'S SEVERAL FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT RATING, SOME OF THOSE FACTORS WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER.
UH, THE DEMOGRAPHICS, UH, OF THE TOWN OF HAMBURG, UM, IS ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER, UM, IN TERMS OF, OF AN ANALYSIS THAT THEY DO.
UM, BUT THEY DID IDENTIFY A FEW AREAS WE DID HAVE CONTROL OVER, AND THE NUMBER ONE AREA THAT THEY IDENTIFIED WAS THE FUND BALANCE.
SO, UM, JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT THAT RANDY JUST ALLUDED TO, UM, WE'VE NOW POSITIONED OURSELVES THAT AS WE GO OUT TO BORROW MONEY, WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO BORROW THAT MONEY AT A LOWER RATE THAN WE WERE LIKELY ABLE TO, UM, JUST FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND SO, UH, MAINTAINING THIS MOVING FORWARD AND KEEPING THE BALANCE WITHIN THE NEW YORK STATE CONTROLLERS GUIDANCE OF THE 14 TO 16%, NOT ONLY IS, UH, SMART FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO KEEP THE TAXES LOW, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE FUNDS TO COVER COSTS THAT ARE UNANTICIPATED WITHIN A BUDGET, BUT IT'S ALSO, UM, GONNA SAVE, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS IF NOT, YOU KNOW, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AS WE BORROW MONEY IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET A LOWER INTEREST RATE ON THOSE BORROWING COSTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD ON THIS ONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COMERFORD, ANYTHING ELSE? SEAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE IN THE AREA OF FINANCE AND INVESTMENT.
IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL THESE PAST FOUR YEARS, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FARRELL, LAUREN, THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATIONS YOU'VE PROVIDED, SEAN.
THAT WAS, UM, I'M SURE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, I AND AGREE WITH THE POINTS OF WHERE WE'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THE, UM, BUDGET THAT I'M STILL DISAPPOINTED THAT WON'T BE ABLE TO BE ADDRESSED IN TERMS OF SOME PERSONNEL LINES AND, UM, EQUIPMENT FOR DEPARTMENTS.
THESE HAVE ALL BEEN DISCUSSED AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS, UM, AND I HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, RECTIFY THOSE, BUT WILL NOT, WELL, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE IT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO OFFER THIS BUDGET RESOLUTION.
UH, SO, UH, OR LIKE A MOTION, UH, TO RESOLVE THAT THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HAMBURG DOES HEREBY ADOPT THE TOWN OF HAMBURG 2024 BUDGET AS PREVIOUSLY FILED WITH THE TOWN SUPERVISOR AND AS KNOWN AS THE SUPERVISOR BUDGET SUBJECT TO THE AMENDMENTS AS CONTAINED ON THE THE ATTACHED PAGE.
THE ATTACHED PAGE BEING THE PAGE THAT I DISPLAYED FOR THIS MEETING.
SECOND, WE HAVE SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CONLIN.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[00:30:01]
AYE.THE BUDGET PASSES FOUR TO ONE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT THE TOWN BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC EXPRESSION? HEARING NONE.
WE'LL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR TO PUBLIC EXPRESSION.
UH, YOU CAN CLICK ON, UM, YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE, UH, A FRANK, GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS FRANK BALKI SPEAKING, COUNCILMAN ELECT.
UM, I, I DID GET A LETTER OUT AND, UH, I WAS A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED THAT I ATTEMPTED TO SEND IT TO ALL THE TOWN BOARD MEMBERS YESTERDAY, AND YOUR EMAILS WERE ALL BLOCKED ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, I GET THE IMPRESSION, MR. HOKE, THAT YOU'RE LIKE THE EMPEROR WITH NO CLOSE.
UM, YOU JUST GAVE YOURSELF A, A PAT ON THE BACK, YOU VOTED ON THE BUDGET, ALL THE PEOPLE HERE WITHOUT PUTTING IT TO THE, TO THE PEOPLE.
AND YOUR UNDEMOCRATIC WAYS ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE BECAUSE, UH, I'M GOING TO BE ON THE BOARD AND I'M GOING TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
I'M A LITTLE BIT, UM, I MEAN, I'M PERPLEXED WHY THE TOWN BOARD WOULD PUT THIS AMENDMENT TO VOTE WITHOUT HAVING A PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
FIRST, YOU BOARD MEMBERS ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, NOT YOURSELVES.
AND I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THIS BUDGET PROCESS IS TRANSPARENT AND NOT DONE VIA ZOOM.
SO, UM, REALLY THERE'S NOTHING TO SAY AT THIS POINT BECAUSE YOU VOTED ON SOMETHING BEFORE PUTTING IT UP TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT THEIR COMMENT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE REALIZE ALL OF US, THAT WE SERVE THE PEOPLE, NOT OURSELVES.
WHY WOULDN'T YOU PUBLISH THESE AMENDMENTS? WHY WERE YOUR EMAILS BLOCKED? WHY IS THIS DONE VIA ZOOM? AND WHY WOULDN'T YOU ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE THESE AMENDMENTS? AND IT'S TO THE WHOLE BOARD.
I'D ASK FOR YOUR, YOUR RESPONSE.
I THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, MR. BALKI, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN 2024, UH, ON THE TOWN BOARD.
UM, SO, UH, MY RESPONSE IS, IS REALLY SIMPLE.
THE BUDGET PROCESS IS, IS A PROCESS.
WE'VE HAD, UH, PUBLIC HEARING, UM, WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC DEBATE FOR RESIDENTS TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS.
AND, AND I PROPOSED A, A BUDGET EARLY, EARLIER THAN WE HAD TO.
WE HAD PUBLIC HEARING EARLY, EARLIER THAN WE HAD TO.
UM, AND PEOPLE HAVE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEIR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE BUDGET.
SO I'M PROUD OF THE PROCESS AND I'M, I'M PROUD OF THE BUDGET.
LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ON THE TOWN BOARD IN JANUARY.
I, I GUESS I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN OVER SEVEN WEEKS SINCE YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET, BUDGET WAS RELEASED TO US.
UH, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS BUDGET AT THREE DIFFERENT MEETINGS.
UM, WE'VE INVITED THE PUBLIC TO REACH OUT TO US, WHETHER IT'S SHOWING UP AT THE MEETINGS, WHETHER IT'S ATTENDING VIA ZOOM OR REACHING OUT TO OUR PERSONAL EMAILS.
UM, I'VE HEARD FROM SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO'VE WANTED TO SEE AMENDMENTS AND I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM OTHERS.
I THINK THAT EVERYTHING WAS BROUGHT UP WAS DISCUSSED DURING OUR MEETINGS.
UM, AND THE IDEA THAT THIS MEETING WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS PLANNED AND SHARED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING IS JUST SIMPLY NOT ACCURATE.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD TO, I DID GET MR. BUKOWSKI'S CORRESPONDENCE, UM, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT ONE 30, UH, THIS MORNING.
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO RESPOND, BUT AS I'VE SAID PREVIOUSLY, LOOKING FORWARD TO FUTURE CONVERSATION TO HELP EASE THE TRANSITION IN THE WAY OF A PHONE CALL, EMAILS.
UM, AND I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR TEXT MESSAGE.
[00:35:10]
DO WE HAVE A, ANOTHER HAND UP? IT'S IDENTIFIED UNDER, UNDER IPAD, SO IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.UH, I JUST GOT A ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, MY NAME IS JEREMY FROM HAMBURG.
UH, I WAS, CAN YOU CLARIFY LIKE THE TAX RATE INCREASE? WHAT'S GONNA LIKE FOR THE GENERAL, LIKE THE PERSON, WHAT THE INCREASE IS GONNA BE ON A, SAY A PROPERTY TAX FOR LIKE AN AVERAGE, LIKE A $70,000 ASSESSED VALUE? LIKE WHAT ARE WE GONNA SEE AS THE PEOPLE? IT'S A LOT OF STUFF YOU SAID A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.
UH, WE DID NOT DO THE CALCULATION ON WHAT IT WOULD TRANSLATE FOR A, A TYPICAL HOUSEHOLD FOR THESE ADJUSTMENTS, BUT WHEN WE WERE AT 2.9, AND, AND I WOULD ASK PAT SHA TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I, I THINK I'M PRETTY CLOSE AT THE 2.9% TAX RATE INCREASE, A HOUSE ASSESSED AT $150,000, WHICH IS A, A PRETTY HEALTHY ASSESSMENT, UH, EVEN IN HAMBURG.
UM, IT WOULD, THE IMPACT WOULD BE, I THINK IT WAS AROUND, UH, IT WAS BETWEEN 40 AND $50 A YEAR.
I BELIEVE IT WAS RIGHT AROUND $48 A YEAR, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
PAT, DO YOU RECALL THAT SPECIFIC NUMBER? UH, GOOD MORNING.
RANDY WILL ACTUALLY DIG INTO THE SPREADSHEET AND GET YOU THE, THAT NUMBER RATHER THAN GUESS AT MY MEMORY, WHICH IS FOUR.
UM, WE'LL PULL IT UP, I'LL JUMP BACK ON AND GIVE YOU THAT NUMBER.
SO PAT WILL COME BACK WITH, WITH THAT FOR US.
UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE 40 AND 50 RANGE, WHICH WHEN WE WERE AT 2.9.
UH, SO IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE LOWER.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS MIGHT WANNA BRING WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR PAT TO COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER NUMBER.
WE DID HAVE, WHILE WE'RE, WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR PAT, I'LL JUST GO THROUGH THE Q AND A.
UH, WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY OFFER A SUGGESTION ON THE DOCUMENT DISPLAY.
UM, I THOUGHT I TRIED THE SUGGESTION THAT WAS OFFERED, WHICH IS OPENING IN WORD AND THEN ZOOM IN.
UM, BUT THAT DIDN'T APPEAR TO WORK.
BUT I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUGGESTION.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A QUESTION, I BELIEVE IT'S QUESTION WHY A BUDGET APPROVAL NOW ON A SATURDAY? AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'VE ANSWERED THAT QUESTION.
UM, THAT THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF THE, A BUDGET PROCESS THAT HAS CONSISTED OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC WORK SESSIONS.
UM, AND, UH, THIS IS A FINAL ADOPTED BUDGET THAT IS VERY CLOSE AND VERY SIMILAR WITH SOME COMPROMISE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE, UM, TO THE BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
HEY, SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY, RANDY.
UM, SO THE, THE NET CHANGE TO THE TAXPAYER WAS 34 CENTS PER A THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ASSESSED VALUE.
SO FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM ASSESSED HOME, THAT WOULD BE $34.
I KNOW YOU USED 150, BUT IT'S EARLY AND MY MATH SKILLS ARE A LITTLE LACKING.
SO I JUST USED A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
ESSENTIALLY IT'S 30, 34 CENTS PER A THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUE.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE AN ATTEMPT AT, AT MATH, MR. JAY, AND IF, UH, UH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND VALUE, THAT WOULD BE, UM, $34.
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UM, AND AT 150, THAT WOULD MAYBE BE 51 IF MY MATH IS, IS HOLDING UP.SO, UH, JEREMY, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
IT'S THE STAT THAT WE USUALLY INCLUDE.
SO I'LL GIVE ONE FINAL CALL FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE PUBLIC BEFORE WE FINALIZE THAT.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UM, MS. ROBERTSON JUST TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NO OTHER PEOPLE ASKING.
AND, AND, AND I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR EMAILS ARE, ARE BLOCKED TO ANSWER MR. ALKIS QUESTION.
UM, BUT THEY'RE NOT, THEY JUST CHECKED ON THE WEBSITE.
YEAH, THE EMAILS ARE, ARE APPEAR TO BE FINE.
UH, MS. ROBERTSON, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT ON ANY, ANY PROBLEMS THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE, WITH THE WEBSITE OR OUR EMAILS AND HOW THEY'RE DISPLAYED? NO, I JUST CHECKED AS WELL AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE FUNCTIONING AS IT SHOULD.
AND MS. ROBERTSON, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT MAY BE WAITING TO SPEAK? IT LOOKS LIKE WE CLEARED OUT THE Q AND A.
I DON'T SEE ANY OF THE HANDS RAISED IN THE PARTICIPANT LIST.
AND I ALSO CHECKED FACEBOOK AND THERE'S NO QUESTIONS ON THERE AS WELL.
YEAH, I DID SEE THAT THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS.
UH, ANY COMMENTS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? NO.
WELL, UH, THEN AT THIS POINT I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY SUPERVISOR HULK, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HULK.
ALL IN FAVORABLY SIGNIFIED BY SAYING AYE.