Oct 20, 2025 10-20-2025 TB Meeting

THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT BECAUSE. OKAY, CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. WE'LL START WITH ROLL CALL.

[Call To Order]

[00:00:12]

COUNCIL MEMBER. COMERFORD. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. FARRELL. LORENZ. PRESENT. ALL PRESENT. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF A FLAG. MY 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 AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. IF YOU WOULD REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE SERVING, AND THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.

THANK YOU. AND IF I COULD POINT OUT WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY EXIT ON THE SIDE AND IN THE BACK.

MADAM SUPERVISOR, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CALL THE FIREFIGHTERS HEARING FIRST? SURE. OKAY, OKAY. WHAT NUMBER IS THAT? PROPOSAL. PROCLAMATION. OKAY, SO WE'RE JUMP AHEAD TO

[4.2. 2026 Fire Company Budget Hearings]

[4.1. 2026 Budget Hearing]

THE OFFICE OF TOWN CLERK, 6100 SOUTH PARK AVENUE, WHERE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY ANY INTERESTED PERSON AT REASONABLE HOURS. ADDITIONALLY, AN EXEMPTION REPORT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. INSPECTION. FURTHER NOTICE HEREBY GIVING THE TOWN BOARD OF HAMBURG PURSUANT TO SECTION 121 B1 OF THE STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1972, AMENDED. ALL OTHER APPLICABLE STATUTES WILL MEET AND REVIEW THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET AND HOLD A BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING THEREON OCTOBER 2025. THAT IS SUCH HEARING. ANY PERSON MAY BE HEARD IN FAVOR OR AGAINST PRELIMINARY BUDGET AS COMPILED AND FOR OR AGAINST ANY ITEMS THEREIN CONTAINED. THE. PURSUANT TO 108 TOWN LAW PROPOSED SALARIES. OUR SUPERVISOR 87 547. COUNCILMAN FOR EACH 2088 88 TOWN CLERK 83 586 JUSTICES TWO EACH TO EACH 64 551 HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT 88 366. BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD, TOWN OF HAMBURG. PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. ARE YOU STARTING WITH THE JUST THE BUDGET? LOOK. ARE YOU. YES, YES.

YEAH. I'M AGAINST RAISING RAISING THE TAX IN THE BUDGET. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.

PRESENTATION? PARDON? A PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET. YOU'LL BE INVITED TO SPEAK AFTER THE PRESENTATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S. OKAY. DO I HAVE A FLASH DRIVE? IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY, THAT'S INDICATED THAT ACTUALLY. JENNY. JEN, YOU GOT THE CLICKER RIGHT THERE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? THE REAL TIME. WHERE IS SHE? IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S THERE. I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT TO THE PODIUM. GO AHEAD. THERE SHE IS. OKAY. I TAKE THE WHOLE STACK. NO, NO. YEAH. THE CLICKER. JUST. OKAY. SORRY FOR THE DELAY. THANK YOU FOR GIVING

[00:05:33]

ACCOMPANY ME IS LUKE MALECKI FROM THE ACCOUNTING FIRM DRESCHER AND MALECKI. HE THEIR FIRM DOES DEAL WITH SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY, AND HE'S HERE TO LEND SOME EXPERTISE AND SOME ASSISTANCE AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET. SO THIS FIRST SLIDE, JUST QUICKLY TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. THE BUDGET PROCESS IS BASICALLY A YEAR ROUND THING, BUT IT'S COMPRISED ESSENTIALLY OF TWO THINGS THE CREATION OF THE BUDGET AND THEN THE MONITORING OF THE BUDGET. SO WITH THE CREATION OF THE BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE ON THE SLIDE, WE START END OF JUNE OR IN JULY AND SEND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN USE TO THEN ASSEMBLE THEIR BUDGET IN AUGUST. WE REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENTS GET THEIR INFORMATION BACK TO THE SUPERVISOR, SO WE CAN START TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING. WE ALWAYS START WITH NEEDS AND WANTS, AND WE TRY TO MAKE A POINT THIS YEAR THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WANTS OUT THERE, BUT WE ARE HOPING THAT THEY WOULD JUST COME WITH MORE NEEDS THAN WANTS. IN AUGUST AND EARLY SEPTEMBER, WE HAD MEETINGS WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS. SOMETIMES, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE DEPARTMENT, WAS ANYWHERE FROM 1 TO 4 MEETINGS. WE TOOK PHONE CALLS, MEETINGS, WHATEVER WE NEEDED TO DO TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, PUT INFORMATION TOGETHER. IN MID-AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER IS WHEN WE FINALIZED ALL THE PAYROLL INFORMATION. WE HAD SOME PRELIMINARY BENEFITS, OUR DEBT SERVICE, AND AN ESTIMATE OF OUR REVENUES IN MID SEPTEMBER. TOWARDS THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE GET TO FINALIZE OUR BUDGET, AND THEN IT WAS SUBMITTED ON THE DUE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 30TH. AND TODAY IS OCTOBER 20TH, AND WE'RE HOLDING OUR PUBLIC HEARING. SO AT THIS POINT, LUKE IS GOING TO RUN THROUGH SOME OF THE HIGHER LEVELS OF THE BUDGET. THANK YOU. AS PAT ALLUDED TO THIS, BUDGETS BY NO MEANS FINAL. THIS IS THE SUPERVISOR'S BUDGET AS WAS PRESENTED AND FILED AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH. THE COUNTY GIVES TIME FOR THE TOWN BOARD TO REVIEW THE BUDGET AND PROVIDE ANY AMENDMENTS, SHOULD THERE BE ANY, TO HOPEFULLY CUT DOWN THE TAX RATE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. AND ALSO, THERE'S SOME ASSUMPTIONS THAT COME INTO PLAY THAT AREN'T AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER, AND THOSE NEED TO BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE BUDGET. WITHIN YOUR TOWN OF HAMBURG'S BUDGET, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT FUNDS. THE MAIN FOCUS OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL BE ON THE AD VALOREM BUDGET, WHICH IS THE GENERAL FUND WHICH EVERY TAXPAYER IN THE TOWN PAYS, AND THEN THE HIGHWAY FUND AND THE TOWN OUTSIDE VILLAGE FUND, WHICH ONLY THOSE RESIDENTS THAT DO NOT LIVE IN THE VILLAGE PAY. THERE'S ALSO THE INSURANCE RESERVE FUND. THAT ONE IS, YOU'LL NOTICE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS PROPOSED TO BE A LOT LESS ACTIVE. AND THAT IS BECAUSE IT REALLY IS ONLY HOSTING THE WORKER'S COMPENSATION FOR THE SPECIAL DISTRICT OF THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS. THE REST OF THE INSURANCE EXPENDITURES ARE NOW GOING BACK INTO THE REGULAR OPERATING AND SPECIAL DISTRICT FUNDS. THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS AREN'T VERY ACTIVE WITHIN THE TOWN. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SEWER DISTRICTS LEFT THAT THE COUNTY DID NOT TAKE OVER WITHIN WOODLAWN AND MOUNT VERNON. MORE INFORMATION ON THOSE TWO DISTRICTS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE SUPERVISOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET. THE WATER DISTRICTS ARE BASICALLY INACTIVE AND WILL PROBABLY MAKE THEIR WAY OUT OF THE BUDGET NOW THAT THEIR DEBT HAS BEEN PAID DOWN AND THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS. THERE ARE SEVEN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS WITHIN THE TOWN. EACH OF THOSE RANGE IN VARYING AMOUNTS OF TAX LEVIES, SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO KIND OF CAPTURE THEM ALL WITHIN THE PRESENTATION. AND THEN THERE'S THE HYDRANT AND THE STREET LIGHTING DISTRICTS, WHICH COMPRISE ABOUT $65 TO AN AVERAGE USER OR AVERAGE RESIDENT AND USER OF THOSE SERVICES. AND THOSE STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT. SO WE THOUGHT IT BEST TO TAKE THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION TO BE ON THE AD VALOREM. ALSO,

[00:10:03]

WE COMPARED HAMBURG'S LEVEL OF FUND BALANCES, WHICH IS TECHNICALLY THE SAVINGS OF THE TOWN, NOT VERY FAVORABLE TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITIES. BUT THERE ARE SOME SAVINGS IN IN THE TOWN'S COFFERS THAT THE SUPERVISOR WAS ABLE TO USE TO HELP OFFSET THE IMPACT OF THOSE AFOREMENTIONED REVENUE RESTRICTIONS AND INCREASING APPROPRIATIONS. THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE BUDGET IS THE TAX LEVY, WHICH THIS YEAR REPRESENTS ABOUT 56% OF THE REVENUE SOURCES. SO THIS SLIDE IS JUST TO PROVIDE A GRAPHIC EXPLANATION OR ILLUSTRATION AS TO WHAT LUKE JUST WENT THROUGH. AND PRETTY, PRETTY GREAT DETAIL. JUST TO POINT OUT A COUPLE THINGS TO REITERATE THAT WE DID HAVE TO TAKE A REALISTIC APPROACH WITH OUR REVENUES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, WE WERE SEEING SOME TRENDS THAT WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY MEETING AT THE BUDGET LEVEL. SO WE LOOK BACK FIVE YEARS AND THEN TRIED TO DETERMINE WHERE WE REALISTICALLY THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE HEADING INTO 26. TAKING THAT APPROACH, AS LUKE MENTIONED, RESULTED IN SOME DOWN TICKS IN OUR DEPARTMENTAL CHARGES AND FEES. YOU'LL SEE IT'S GOING FROM 8% OF THE TOTAL DOWN TO 7%. INTEREST WAS THE OTHER ONE. IT'S GOING FROM 6% IN 25 DOWN TO 4%. SO WE WE WE'RE HOPING THAT THE UPTICK IN THE SALES TAX AND THE MORTGAGE TAX WILL HELP COMPENSATE FOR THOSE LOSSES. AND THE DEPARTMENTAL AND INTEREST. AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE, BECAUSE WE ARE IT IS SO DEPENDENT ON THE ECONOMY, BUT IT HAS A GOOD OUTLOOK THAT HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE DOWN TICKS IN THE DEPARTMENTAL.

NEXT ONE. YEAH. SO ON THE EXPENSE SIDE OF THINGS, APPROPRIATIONS ARE ALWAYS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE BUDGET. AND WHAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE CHALLENGING IN OUR BUDGET IS 75% OF OUR EXPENSES ARE BASICALLY NON-DISCRETIONARY, MADE UP MOSTLY OF SALARIES, BENEFITS, INSURANCE. SO $0.75 OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE SPEND GOES TO SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER. SO IT'S ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT LUKE

[00:15:05]

GOING BACK TO THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, AS PAT HAD MENTIONED, THEY DID INCREASE TO ABOUT TWO BY ABOUT 2% OF THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS BUDGET. THESE ARE UNAVOIDABLE COSTS IF THE STAFFING LEVELS OF THE TOWN STAY THE SAME. THE TOWN, JUST LIKE EVERY MUNICIPALITY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THE POLICE AND FIRE RETIREMENT SYSTEM. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THESE RATES HAVE SKYROCKETED SINCE 2022. THIS PAST YEAR, THE POLICE AND FIRE RETIREMENT RATES WENT UP 8.3% AND THE IRRS, THE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT WENT UP BY 6.7%. THAT'S A RATE THAT'S GIFTED TO THE TOWN BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK. IT'S UNAVOIDABLE. AND IT'S AN EVERY SALARY. THAT'S THE PERCENT THAT IS INCREASING. AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS ABOUT $5 MILLION WITHIN THE TOWN'S AD VALOREM BUDGET IS THOSE RETIREMENT COSTS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BEING UNAVOIDABLE, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THIS SLIDE. HEALTH INSURANCE WASN'T ANY PRETTIER OF A PICTURE. IN FACT, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT WORSE. IN 2024, THE TOWN BENEFITED BY SWITCHING CARRIERS. BUT JUST LIKE ANY PRIVATE INDUSTRY OR ANY ANYBODY SHOPPING INSURANCE OUT THERE, YOU CAN ONLY SWITCH ONCE AND THEN THE TRENDS PICK BACK UP.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED TO SEE IN 24. AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT 25 PROJECTED. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE RATE OF CHANGE FROM 22 TO 23, IT'S ACTUALLY GOING BACK ON THERE WHEN WE PROJECTED OUT 20 TO 25. AND THAT'S ABOUT A 10% INCREASE FROM 25 TO OR EXCUSE ME, FROM 24 TO 25. THE BUDGET THAT THE SUPERVISOR IS INCLUDED ONLY INCLUDES AN 8% INCREASE. AND I SAY ONLY BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN IN THE INDUSTRY INCREASES OF UP TO 20% IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE, AGAIN, AN UNAVOIDABLE COST. AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT MARGIN WHAT THE COST OF THE AD VALOREM BUDGET IS ON THAT. SO ON THIS SLIDE, THERE'S JUST TWO OTHER FACTORS THAT IMPACT THE BUDGET THAT WE WANT TO GO THROUGH. QUICK. LUKE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THE IMPACT OF THE FUND BALANCE DATING BACK TO 2021, 2022. THE TOWN STARTED TO USE MORE OF THE FUND BALANCE TO OFFSET SOME OF THE TAX RATES THAT WERE BEING IMPLEMENTED. WE'VE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THAT APPROACH MOVING FORWARD, INCLUDING THIS YEAR, THE FUND BALANCE, AS AS IT STANDS, IS IT'S AT THE LOWER END OF THE RESPECT, THE RECOMMENDED RATES OF WHAT THOSE FUND BALANCES SHOULD BE. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS CONSISTENT APPROACH WILL ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN THAT FUND BALANCE SO THAT IT'S IN A HEALTHY STATE. THE BOTTOM IS JUST TO SHOW THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE ASSESSED VALUATION OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE TOWN, BUT IT WAS AT A PRETTY LOW RATE OF ABOUT 2%. AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT MIGHT AT SOME POINT INCREASE OR HELP US MORE WITH THE BUDGET. SO THIS SLIDE PRESENTS THE EFFECTS OF THE WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED TO THE SUPERVISOR'S TAX RATE, THE TAX RATE FOR THOSE TOWN OUTSIDE VILLAGE RESIDENTS IS 13, PROPOSED AT $13.03. THREE ROUNDED UP TO YEAH $0.03. THAT'S ABOUT $0.90 INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. WHILE THOSE IN THE VILLAGE SAW AN INCREASE OF $0.27. JUST TO RECAP, THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE DEFINING THIS INCREASE IS THE IMPACTS OF THE DECREASE IN INTEREST EARNINGS, A LARGE REDUCTION IN A REALISTIC APPROACH TO THE FINES AND FORFEITURES WITHIN THE TOWN, THAT THOSE REVENUE ITEMS WERE OFFSET BY AN INCREASE IN SALES TAX AND A LITTLE BIT INCREASE OF THE USE OF THE HIGHWAY FUNDS APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE. WHEN YOU DISSECT THE BUDGET AND LOOK AT REALLY THE CORE CHANGES OF THE INCREASES, IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO A LOT OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY, SALARIES, TRANSPORTATION, SALARIES AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ACROSS THE TOWN THAT THAT WAS THE MAIN DRIVERS IN THAT INCREASE. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A LONGER TERM VISUAL, THIS TAX RATE HAS INCREASED BY $2.46 OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, TEN YEARS. AND THAT'S FOR THOSE RESIDENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE AND FOR THE VILLAGE RESIDENTS. IT'S INCREASED BY ABOUT $0.71 SINCE

[00:20:05]

RIGHT ON CUE. THANK YOU. SO WE WANT WE WANTED TO TAKE AN APPROACH TO GRAPHICALLY SHOW WHERE THE TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT THROUGHOUT THE TOWN. SO ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS THE TOWN OUTSIDE VILLAGE FOR A HOUSE ASSESSED AT $100,000 WITH A FAIR MARKET VALUE INDICATOR OF 327,000, WE'RE SEEING THAT. $178 OF THAT GOES TO THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TO THE TOWN AS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY, $370 OF THAT, OR 28%, IS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH WOULD BE THE POLICE AND DISPATCH, 155 OR 12% IS TRANSPORTATION, WHICH REALLY BOILS DOWN TO HIGHWAY CARING FOR THE ROADS, PLOWING THE ROADS, ANYTHING THAT GOES INTO MAKING THOSE A SAFE AND FREE, TRAVELING AS POSSIBLE. RECREATION $141 OF THAT. 1303 AND THAT'S GOING TO COVER THE GOLF, GOLF COURSE, THE ARENA, THE BOAT LAUNCH, ANY OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN OR THAT YOUTH REC AND SENIOR SERVICES PROVIDES TO THE TOWN.

AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S STILL A BIG NUMBER IN THERE THAT $388 OF THAT. 1303 COMES DOWN TO THE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE POLICIES THAT WE WENT THROUGH. SIMILAR FOR THE VILLAGES VILLAGE RESIDENT, THEIR BILL IS $563. IT'S A SIMILAR BREAKDOWN WHERE PUBLIC SAFETY IS $74. OF THAT, OR 13% RECREATION, $136. AND THE GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT, WHICH IS, AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE FOR THE SERVICES OF THE GOVERNMENT, WAS $154. SO WE JUST WANTED TO TRY AND PUT SOME FLAVOR TO WHERE THE ACTUAL MONEY THAT WE'RE TAXING THE RESIDENTS IS SPENT. THE TOWN TAX RATE IS ONLY A PORTION OF A TAXPAYER'S TAX BILL IN THE YEAR. SO WHAT THIS TREND IS SHOWING US IS THE SEVEN DIFFERENT TAXING ENTITIES WITHIN THE TOWN OF HAMBURG, AND THEIR RELATIVE TAX RATES OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. THE LINES ARE ORGANIZED BY THE NAMES ON THE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, SO THE HIGHEST BEING THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF HAMBURG AT 4372 IS WHERE THEY ARE AT IN 2026, FRONTIER'S AT 3249. THE VILLAGE OF HAMBURG IS AT 2383. THE TOWN. THE VILLAGE OF BLAISDELL IS AT 2259. THE NEXT LINE IS THE 1303 THAT REPRESENTS THE PROPOSED RATE OF THE OF THE TAX FOR THE TOWN WIDE TAX. THE NEXT PORTION IS THE COUNTY TAX THAT'S FIXED AT LAST YEAR'S LEVEL BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT FINALIZED THEIRS. IT STARTS AT $11.30 FOR THE TOWN OF HAMBURG. AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS THE TOWN OUTSIDE VILLAGE. EXCUSE ME, THE TOWN VILLAGE RESIDENTS, WHICH IS 563. SO A TREND IS NICE, BUT IT'S NICE TO SEE KIND OF WHAT AN AVERAGE TAXPAYER WOULD PAY. AGAIN, THIS IS EXCLUSIVE OF THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS. A TAXPAYER IN A HOME AT $100,000 CAN EXPECT TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL ABOUT $65 FOR THEIR LIGHTING AND HYDRANT COMBINED. AND THEN RELATIVE TO WHATEVER FIRE DISTRICT IN, IT'S ANYWHERE FROM 200 TO $600 FOR THEIR FIRE DISTRICT TAX. BUT SINCE THOSE ARE VARYING AMOUNTS, WE STUCK TO THE AD VALOREM. A RESIDENT IN THE TOWN OF HAMBURG THAT SENDS THEIR THAT PAYS HAMBURG SCHOOL TAXES, HAS A TOTAL TAX BILL OF ABOUT $6,805, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $223. PROPOSED $90 OF THAT REPRESENTS THE TOWN'S PORTION. A RESIDENT THAT LIVES IN THE VILLAGE OF HAMBURG, THAT ATTENDS HAMBURG OR THAT PAYS HAMBURG SCHOOLS TAXES, CAN EXPECT ABOUT $8,500 TAX BILL. THAT'S AN INCREASE FROM EIGHT 8200, ABOUT 249, OF WHICH $27 OF THAT INCREASE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TOWN'S INCREASE. A TOWN OF HAMBURG RESIDENT THAT GOES TO FRONTIER HAS FRONTIER SCHOOL TAXES CAN EXPECT A $123 INCREASE, GOING TO 500 AND GOING TO UP TO $5,682, OF WHICH THAT 200 $123 INCREASE, $90 REPRESENTS THE TOWN. AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST PORTION IS THE VILLAGE RESIDENT OF BLAISDELL THAT PAYS FRONTIER TAXES CAN EXPECT AN $83 INCREASE, OF WHICH $27 IS FROM RELATED FROM THE PROPOSED TOWNS. SO JUST QUICKLY LOOKING AT THAT AS A AS A TAX BILL

[00:25:02]

YEAH. I DIDN'T SIT AND DO THE SUMMATIONS YET, BUT YES. OKAY, I'LL GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBERS.

THANK YOU. SO. HOW DO I GO BACK THERE? THE AMOUNTS ARE CORRECT. THE SUM IS $8,448. THAT'S A GOOD CATCH. AND THAT IS THE SUMMARY OF THE TAX BILLS THAT. SO JUST EXCUSE ME REAL QUICK.

IN CLOSING, THE NEXT STEPS WITH RESPECT TO THE BUDGET IS WE WANT TO CONTINUE ALL THE CONVERSATIONS WE CAN HAVE WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS TO SEE WHAT KIND OF IDEAS THEY MIGHT HAVE TO ASSIST, EITHER WITH ADDITIONAL REVENUE GENERATIONS, OR WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CUT ADDITIONAL COSTS. THOSE CONVERSATIONS WILL GO AS LONG AND AS FAR AS WE NEED TO, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE ADOPTED BUDGET SUBMITTED BY THE 20TH OF NOVEMBER. SO WHENEVER PEOPLE ARE FREE AND ANY IDEAS THEY HAVE, JUST BRING THEM TO THE TABLE. WE'LL DISCUSS ANYTHING.

THE OTHER STEP THAT WE HAVE TO DO WORKING WITH, ASSESSING AND LEGAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE WITH ERIE COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT THE REFUSE DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE ALL SET AND GET INTO THE TAX ROLL THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE. OBVIOUSLY, THAT WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT TO THE TAXPAYER BECAUSE THAT SAVINGS ESSENTIALLY OFFSETS THE $90 OR $27 THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPOSE ON THESE INCREASED TAX RATES. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I WANT TO THANK LUKE AGAIN FOR ALL HIS HELP AND KNOWLEDGE ON THE BUDGET. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. THANKS. OKAY. NOW WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS PLEASE. ONLY WE CAN ONLY GIVE LIKE THREE MINUTES A PERSON. SO. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS. CAN YOU HEAR YOU BACK HERE. WE CAN. WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE TO SPEAK. PLEASE. AND PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES IF POSSIBLE.

BOB MAHONEY. GREAT. I'M AGAINST THE TAX INCREASE. YOU STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE, FOR THE NAME FRANCIS OSIER. I'M AGAINST THE TAX INCREASE 100%. I THINK THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A BUDGET FIT AND RAISE PEOPLE'S TAXES. YOU'RE GOING TO TAX PEOPLE OUT OF THE RIGHT OUT OF THE STATE, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU DOING? BOB MAHONEY, HAMBURG TAXPAYER. AGAIN, I AGREE THAT THE TAXES ARE HIGH, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT. AND I WANT TO SHARE SOME OF MY UNDERSTANDING.

HAD THE BOARD'S THE PREVIOUS BOARD'S INCREASED THE TAXES EACH YEAR, AS WAS SUGGESTED, MAYBE 25 YEARS AGO, WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS SITUATION. IT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE SUPERVISOR AT THE TIME TO RAISE A LITTLE BIT PERCENTAGE FOR THE INFLATION, WHICH MADE SENSE. IT'S THE SAME

[00:30:04]

AND SO OURS ISN'T FINALIZED EITHER. DID I EXPLAIN THAT RIGHT THAT THE SO THE VILLAGE HAVE AN EARLIER YEAR END. THEIR BUDGETS WERE PASSED IN SPRING. THE COUNTY FOLLOWS THE SAME AS THE TOWN. SO THEY'RE IN THE SAME EXACTLY THE SAME EXACT TIME OF THE PROCESS THAT YOU ARE. AND IS THERE A LAW ON THE BOOKS OF HOW MUCH IT CAN BE RAISED? PERIOD. AND A TIME FRAME ON THAT. RIGHT. THERE'S A IS THERE A CAP? IS WHAT I'M ASKING THE TAX LEVY. RIGHT, PEYTON LUKE CAN PROBABLY COMMENT TO THAT. BEST. SO THERE IS THERE IS A LAW, THE TAX CAP LAW THAT BASICALLY IS IN PLACE AND MANDATES HOW MUCH YOU CAN RAISE TAXES EACH YEAR. THE THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED USUALLY IS 2%. BUT THERE'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FORMULA THAT GOES INTO PLACE THAT SAYS, TAKE YOUR LAST YEAR'S LEVY, INCREASE IT BY THIS FORMULA, AND THIS IS HOW MUCH YOU CAN SPEND THIS YEAR. FOR US, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE OVER $2 MILLION, AND IT ACTUALLY WAS 4% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S LEVY. WHAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS YEAR AND WHICH IS FOLLOWING WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING NEXT? IT TAKES LAST YEAR'S LEVY PLUS THE FORMULA TO GIVE YOU AN AMOUNT FOR 2026. WHAT'S UNIQUE FOR US IN HAMBURG THIS YEAR IS THE INCLUSION OF THE REFUSE DISTRICT. SO THAT GOES INTO THE TOTAL LEVY FOR ALL TAXPAYERS. SO WHILE WE MIGHT HAVE HAD 1.5 ALLOWABLE WITHIN THAT TAX CAP CALCULATION, WE'RE ADDING 4 MILLION JUST FOR THE REFUSE DISTRICT. SO THAT'S WHY IN THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING, THE PRESENTATION OR THE DISCUSSION IS TO OVERRIDE THAT TAX CAP SO THAT WE CAN THEN AFFORD TO HAVE THE REFUSE DISTRICT INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET. SO FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THE THERE WAS A REFUGE COMMITTEE WENT THROUGH IT. MR. MAHONEY, WHO SPOKE UP HERE EARLIER, WAS IN IN CHARGE OF IT. WHAT WE DID WAS THE TOWN WENT OUT AND BID OUT THE GARBAGE ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS AND THE RESIDENTS OF HAMBURG AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW, INCLUDING MYSELF, WAS ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 500 TO ALMOST $800 AND MAYBE EVEN HIGHER. AND WE GOT IT DOWN TO $240 A YEAR. SO THE TAXPAYERS WILL ONLY BE PAYING $200 AND $4,240 A YEAR FOR THEIR GARBAGE AND REFUGE. AND THAT'S PER UNIT. SO OBVIOUSLY IF YOU HAVE FOUR UNIT, IT'S ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR UNITS PACKED JUST FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, IF WE STAYED WITH THE EXACT AMOUNT OF SPENDING WE HAD LAST YEAR, LIKE WE DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE BUDGET, WE DID THE INCREASES FOR CONTRACTUAL AND HEALTH CARE AND THEN ADDED IN THE 4 MILLION FOR GARBAGE. ARE YOU PROJECTING WE WOULD HAVE GONE OVER THAT INCREASE THAT WE WERE ALLOTTED UNDER THE TAX CAP? YES. OKAY. THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. IF WE CHANGED, NOTHING, DIDN'T IMPROVE ANYTHING AND JUST KIND OF KEPT THE BUDGET WE CURRENTLY HAD. WE

[00:35:03]

ALL RIGHT. IT WAS IN LATER CAUSING MORE. CONVERSATION. YEAH. THANK YOU. I COME BACK HOME, SIR. NO. YES. OKAY. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IS THIS IS THIS AN INCREASE OF LAST YEAR'S TAXES? IS 7.45% OR 7.46. IT'S INCREASED THAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING. YES. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO ANOTHER ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING ANOTHER 7.46%. YES. OKAY.

UNLESS THAT NOW THAT'S THE NOT THE FINAL BUDGET. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ALL TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO YOU. THE BOARD NOW HAS THE RIGHT TO LOOK AT MY BUDGET AND MAKE ANY CHANGES THAT THEY WANT TO POSSIBLY LOWER IT. SO THEY STILL HAVE THAT. THEY STILL HAVE TIME TO DO THAT UNTIL NOVEMBER 20TH. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THE OTHER THING TOO IS I THINK LUKE OR PAT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GO OVER BECAUSE IT'S IT IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT TO DIGEST, BUT THAT WHEN WE SAY THE 7.46, SOME OF YOUR SLIDES TRANSLATED THAT THEN TO A DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR A HOME THAT WAS LIKE 327,000, THAT'S ASSESSED AT 100,000. YOU GAVE THOSE DOLLAR AMOUNTS $90.

THAT'S WHAT IT TRANSLATES TO FOR 7.46% ON 100,000 COMES OUT. THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER FACTORS BECAUSE THAT SLIDE WITH THE ASSESSED VALUE THAT THE ASSESSED VALUE WENT UP. SO THE TAX RATE, THE VALUE WENT UP ONLY BY A HALF PERCENT. BUT THE EQUALIZATION RATE CHANGED. IT'S THE WHOLE CPI. IT GETS REALLY CONFUSING IF YOU HAVE A HALF HOUR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AT SOME .46 PERCENT IS THE TAX RATE ABOUT 1000, $7, 1000, RIGHT. SO THAT'S EIGHT GRAND, A 100,000 INCREASE. AND WHAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING NOW, NOT 140. I THINK WE SAY IT'S GOING TO GO UP $140,140 A YEAR. NO THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S $0.90. THE TAX RATE WENT UP $0.90. I MEAN, THAT'S HOW IS 7.46%, $100,000, $96. SO BECAUSE THAT'S THE INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. YEAH, IT'S AN INCREASE TO WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE. BUT IT'S A PERCENTAGE OF A NUMBER THAT WENT UP 7.46. BUT THE NUMBER ITSELF WENT FROM $12.90 TO 13 $0.90 MORE. RIGHT. BUT YOU GUYS ON YOUR ON YOUR ON YOUR, IN YOUR VERY NICE. IT SAID 7.46% INCREASE. SO WE'RE ALREADY PAYING A CERTAIN OKAY. WE'RE PAYING $10. NOW WE'RE GOING 7.46 100,000. THAT COMES UP TO $8,000 MORE A YEAR AND $100,000. BUT IT'S THE INCREASE IN THE RATE. SO WE'RE GOING FROM THAT, THAT $100, $100, THAT'S, THAT'S BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS, A PERCENTAGE THAT'S LESS THAN. SO IN 2025 THE RATE IS $12.12. THE RATE IN 2026 IS GOING TO BE $13.33. SO THE CHANGE, THE PERCENTAGE CHANGE BETWEEN THE $12 AND $13 IS THE 7.46. BUT THE ACTUAL MONETARY INCREASE IS $0.90 IN THAT AMOUNT, WHICH THEN EQUATES TO THE $90 IN YOUR TOTAL YEARLY INCREASE BASED ON $100,000 ASSESSMENT. OKAY, SO THE PERCENTAGE IS SORT OF MISLEADING BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING A PERCENTAGE OF THE EXISTING NUMBER. SO THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE FROM 12 TO 12 TO 1303 IS 7.46%. BUT THE ACTUAL MONETARY INCREASE OF GOING FROM 1212 TO 1303 AND $0.90, $0.90 PER THOUSAND. AND I THINK THAT. CORRECT. CORRECT. SO HE'S GETTING THE PERCENTAGE OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING VERSUS WHAT THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT. THE WAY YOU GUYS SHOWED UP THERE, YOU HAD $100,000. SO $7.568 THOUSAND ON THAT $100,000 HOUSE IN 2025, YOU WOULD HAVE PAID $1,212 AND ONE 2025 TAX BILL. YOU PAID $1,200 ON THAT HOME. OKAY. WHAT WAS

[00:40:02]

SO THE TOWN TAX IS LIKE 2000 SOMETHING 2007. THAT PROBABLY INCLUDES YOUR FIRE DISTRICT IN THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD YOUR TAX BILL YOU BRING IT TO YOU CAN BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU.

BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ONLY THE GENERAL FUND TOWN TAX. THERE'S ALSO YOUR SCHOOL TAX ON THAT BILL. THERE'S YOUR VILLAGE SCHOOL SHEPHERD. THAT'S THE COUNTY AND THE LIBRARY. YEAH.

THOSE ARE ALL MARKED DOWN COUNTY LIBRARIES. AND IF YOU LOOK AT JUST YOUR TOWN GENERAL FUND TAX SHOULD BE AROUND 1200. YEAH. IT WAS OKAY. OKAY. SO I'M LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. GREAT. THANK. I'D JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY SOME OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE GARBAGE BILLS. AND I'M SORRY, ELIZABETH O'DONNELL. AND MY MOST RECENT ONE WAS $563 FOR THE YEAR ROUND GARBAGE. SO IF IT'S BECOMING 240, THAT'S A MASSIVE SAVINGS, YOU KNOW, TO ME AS A TAXPAYER. BUT THIS $4 MILLION FIGURES FLOATING AROUND HERE. BUT AREN'T YOU PASSING THAT ON TO ME WHERE I'M PAYING IT THROUGH MY TAX BILL RATHER THAN PAYING DIRECTLY TO EITHER MODERN OR WASTE MANAGEMENT. SO TRULY, THERE IS NO $4 MILLION TAX INCREASE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE PASSING IT ON TO ME, YOU'RE JUST GIVING ME A SAVINGS.

YOU'RE PAYING A CHUNK SO YOU CUT A BETTER DEAL. IS THAT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT? I'VE HANDLED A LOT OF BUDGETS MYSELF, SO I GET SOME OF THIS STUFF. SO IS THAT TRUE? THE 4 MILLION.

YOU HAVE TO SAY, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS TAX LEVY. SO WE HAVE THE 4 MILLION TO PAY MODERN. BUT THEN I'M REALLY PAYING MODERN THROUGH YOU THROUGH MY TAX. YEAH. OKAY. SO THERE'S NOT REALLY A $4 MILLION INCREASE FOR THE GARBAGE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL PAYING IT.

YOU JUST SORT OF MADE US A GOOD DEAL. SO I DON'T HAVE TO PAY $563. OKAY. SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE REVERSED IN THAT WAY, BECAUSE WHAT I WAS JUST LISTENING TO WAS A LITTLE SQUISHY ABOUT ABOUT THAT PIECE OF IT. SO YEAH, I'M PAYING IT, BUT YOU'RE PAYING IT FIRST.

WELL, RIGHT, RIGHT. YOU'RE PAYING THE 4 MILLION, BUT YOU'RE NOT REALLY INCREASING YOUR BUDGET. 4 MILLION IF I'M PAYING AND ALL OF US ARE ALL PAYING OUR $240, THERE ARE OTHER LIKE AND THESE ARE ROUGH NUMBERS. AND SO EVERYONE KNOWS THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK TO THE TOWN BOARD ON THE BUDGET. AS AS THE SUPERVISOR AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, IT'S NOT BEEN FINALIZED. YEAH, BUT THAT IS ONE COMPONENT OF THE TAX, THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE, WHICH I'M AGAINST TAX INCREASES 100% AGAINST THEM. AND AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING OVER THE BUDGET. THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL APPROXIMATELY 1.5. AND THERE WAS A NICE PRESENTATION, $1.5 MILLION IN INCREASE IN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. THERE'S ALSO INCREASES IN EMPLOYEE. I UNDERSTOOD ALL THAT AND THE OTHER. SO MEANING THERE'S THE GARBAGE. YES. I JUST DIDN'T WANT IT TO SOUND LIKE A $1 MILLION INCREASE IN EMPLOYEE SALARIES. SO THERE'S A THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES. SO THE DEFINITION OF ECONOMICS IS THE ALLOCATION OF SCARCE RESOURCES. AND SO THERE MAY BE THE RIGHT WAY OR A WRONG WAY.

BUT IF WE WANT TO PREVENT RAISING TAXES WE HAVE TO CUT THE BUDGET. AND THAT'S THAT. I WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS POINT BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION THAT WENT BACK AND FORTH WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT CLEAR. YOU KNOW, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S THIS INCREASE HERE, BUT IN THAT ONE IT'S REALLY A WASH. THE OTHER STUFF, I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. AND THANK YOU. I BET IT'S FREAKING EXHAUSTING TO DO THIS PROCESS. SO BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WELCOME BACK. MY WIFE WAS GETTING NERVOUS ABOUT YOU. GRANDCHILDREN KEPT ME BUSY. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. GOOD EVENING. TIME WELL SPENT. YEAH. ALWAYS WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THIS BUDGET. AS FAR AS IT GOES, THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES WHEN I CAN SAY THAT GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT ACTUALLY WORKS FOR US BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO RAISE $4 MILLION, BUT THEN YOU'RE GOING TO PAY IT OFF AND IT'S GOING TO BE CHEAPER EVERY YEAR. SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT PART OF THEM. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT PART OF THE BUDGET I WANT TO AVOID. I WANT TO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL MY FIXED INCOME PEOPLE AND ALL MY SENIOR CITIZENS. IF YOU HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR STAR AND ENHANCED STAR, PLEASE DO IT NOW WE REALIZE THAT EVERY BUDGET INCREASE, EVERY TAX INCREASE IS GOING TO CAUSE PAIN FOR PEOPLE ON A FIXED INCOME. WE CAN'T DO

[00:45:01]

IT'S GOT TO COME OUT SOMEWHERE. SO NOW IF YOU WANT TO OBJECT TO THE BUDGET INCREASE, YOU WANT TO OBJECT TO THE TAX INCREASE. NOW YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT DO YOU WANT TO LOSE. AND THAT'S PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. I'M SURE I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT IT AGAIN BEFORE THIS IS OVER, BUT PLEASE, WE CAN'T WE CAN'T FIX THINGS. WE CAN'T. THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS YOU CAN'T AVOID. YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE INTEREST RATES BECAUSE THAT'S THE FEDERAL RESERVE. THEY'VE ONLY BEEN ROBBING US SINCE 1913. SO SEND SOMETHING TO YOUR SENATORS AND YOUR CONGRESSPEOPLE. GET RID OF THE FEDS SO WE CAN GET BACK TO HAVING OUR OWN MONEY INSTEAD OF LETTING THEM LEND US OUR OWN MONEY. YOU CAN'T. WE CAN'T AVOID IT. IT'S GOING TO IF IT HITS US BOTH WAYS. IF THE INTEREST RATES GO UP, WE GET A LITTLE. WE GET A LITTLE KICK ON OUR WHAT WE MANAGED TO RESERVE. IF IT IF IT GOES DOWN, WE LOSE MONEY. SO. BUT THEN HOPEFULLY COSTS GO DOWN. DIFFICULT THINGS TO WORK THROUGH A BUDGET. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. DAN. IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ADDING ON TO THE STAR PROGRAM, I BELIEVE THE SCHOOLS NOW OFFER A VETERAN'S DISCOUNT ALSO. PLEASE FOLKS, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. THANK YOU.

YEAH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. HI, I'M JACKIE. ANGELA AND I WROTE DOWN WHAT I WANTED TO SAY BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET IT. OKAY, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE NEVER WANTS TO ACCESS TO GO UP. WE WANT TO GO DOWN. BUT THE REALITY IS THE TOWN IS LIKE A HOUSEHOLD. IT HAS EXPENSES. IF THE EXPENSES GO UP IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD, THEN YOU'RE LIKELY TO SEE THE TOWN COSTS GO UP. SO TAXES HAVE TO GO UP. AND I PRETTY MUCH ACCEPTED THAT MY TAXES WILL PROBABLY GO UP EVERY YEAR A LITTLE BIT. BUT ALL I ASK IS THAT MY TOWN BE RESPONSIBLE AND HOW THEY SPEND MONEY, AND TRY TO BE CAREFUL WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS AND ATTEMPT TO FIND OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING. AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT WE'RE NOT DOING, IS WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT ONE SIDE OF THE BUDGET, RIGHT? SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TAXES AND HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO SPEND. WELL, MAYBE THERE'S OTHER WAYS WE CAN MAKE MONEY. SO I DO WANT TO SAY THAT OUR TAX RATE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND THIS WAS NOT EASY TO FIND, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE HAMBURG WEBSITE TO BE EASIER TO FIGURE OUT, BUT THAT THEY HAVE GONE UP 31.7% OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. AND INCLUDING THIS INCREASE, THEY WOULD THE. IF YOU COMPARE THAT TO THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE, THAT'S SOCIAL SECURITY GAVE. SOCIAL SECURITY ACTUALLY GAVE 1.5% MORE THAN THAT OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. SO THE TOWN'S ACTUALLY DOING OKAY IF YOU BASE IT ON THE COLA COSTS FROM SOCIAL SECURITY. MY CONCERN IS THIS TOWN DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO FIND SOURCES OF REVENUE OTHERWISE. AND I'M GOING TO MENTION TWO EXAMPLES. THE FIRST BEING THE MCKINLEY AND CLARK INTERSECTION. AND THIS INTERSECTION WAS REDONE AT A COST OF $674,804.30. AND THESE WERE ARPA FUNDS. SO THAT MONEY IS FROM, YOU KNOW, THE FEDS.

AND IT WAS VERY FLEXIBLE AND COULD BE USED IN MANY WAYS. ON JANUARY 8TH, 2024, A GRANT APPLICATION WAS PRESENTED TO THE TOWN BOARD FOR A NEW YORK STATE GRANT RFA THAT WOULD HAVE PROVIDED FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT IN A RANGE OF 500,000 TO $5 MILLION, AND THIS APPLICATION WAS TABLED BY THREE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD THAT SIT HERE RIGHT NOW, PER THE MINUTES AVAILABLE ON THE TOWN WEBSITE. THE GRANT WAS WRITTEN AND READY TO GO OUT THE DOOR AS IT WAS DUE THE NEXT DAY, AND DUE TO THIS TABLING, IT WAS AS GOOD AS VOTING IS DOWN. THE GRANT DID HAVE A 20% MATCH, AND GIVEN THAT WE SPENT $674,804, WE COULD HAVE SAVED $539,844 THAT WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN GRANT FUNDS. AND ONE ARGUMENT PROVIDED WAS THAT TURNING THIS DOWN WOULD MAKE THE MONEY GO BACK TO NEW YORK STATE, AND OUR STATE TAXES WOULD GO DOWN. NOW, WE ALL KNEW THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT ULTIMATELY, WHAT DID HAPPEN WAS THE TOWN OF AMHERST GOT MONEY. THEY GOT $3.57 MILLION OUT OF THAT MONEY, AND THE TOWN OF CLARENCE GOT A MAXIMUM AWARD OF $5 MILLION. SO WE, ON THE OTHER HAND, SPENT $674,000 IN ARPA FUNDS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AND ARPA FUNDS WERE VERY FLEXIBLE. THEY COULD BE USED FOR MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. A SECOND EXAMPLE IS OUR TOWN SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER. NEW YORK STATE HAD AN RFA OUT THERE ENTITLED MISS. WE HAVE A THREE MINUTE AND YOU'RE BEYOND THE THREE MINUTES. COME ON, I I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE THREE MINUTE RULE. SECOND, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE THREE MINUTE SECOND. A SECOND EXAMPLE IS OUR TOWN SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER. NEW YORK STATE HAS AN RFA OUT THERE ENTITLED UNPLUG AND PLAY, WHICH IS A BUDGET OF $100 MILLION FOR BUILDING RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COMMUNITIES AND SENIORS. AND THE GRANT HAD TO BE SUBMITTED BY AUGUST 15TH, 2025. THE FUNDING IS CALLED NEW

[00:50:06]

$600,000 FOR A CROSSWALK. SIDEWALK. AND IT WAS ALSO ALL THE NEW HEADS AND POLES. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO EAGLE RIDGE COMMONS, OBVIOUSLY THE CORNER OF SOUTHWESTERN AND ROGERS ROAD, THE HUGE NEW DEVELOPMENT THERE, IF PEOPLE GO TO THEIR GOOGLE AND THEY TYPE IN HAMBURG, WHICH PULLS UP THE TAX RECORDS, YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT PAID $177,000 IN SCHOOL TAX. THEY PAID ZERO IN PROPERTY TAX. THEY'RE NOT EVEN REGISTERED TO PAY PROPERTY TAX, NOT EVEN ON THE COUNTY SITE. BUT THEY PAY SCHOOL TAX.

SO TO ME, BEFORE YOU RAISE OUR TAXES, YOU NEED TO CLEAN YOUR BOOKS UP IN THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND START TAXING THESE BIG DEVELOPMENTS. AND THIS IS ONLY ONE THERE ARE OTHER ONES THAT PAID NO TAXES, BUT THEY PAID SCHOOL TAX. SO I HAVE TO ASK MYSELF WHY? WHY IS THAT? YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME YOU CAN'T EAT STEAK EVERY DAY. SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO EAT HOT DOGS AND CUT THE BUDGET. AND THAT'S A THAT'S A TRUE STATEMENT. AND AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE SAID BEFORE, UTILITIES ARE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE, GROCERIES ARE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE. EVERYTHING IS JUST GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE. THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO LOOK DEEP INSIDE ITSELF AND SEE WHERE IT CAN CUT. WHETHER IT'S THE VEHICLE FLEET MANAGING OVERTIME PROPERLY CLOSED THE COFFERS, YOU KNOW, TEN BUCKS. THAT DOESN'T SOUND TOO BAD, YOU KNOW, HEY, IT'S ONLY GOING TO GO UP TEN BUCKS A MONTH. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS. THERE'S A THERE'S A HOMELESS VETERAN THAT ALWAYS STANDS OUTSIDE STARBUCKS ON MILE STRIP. HOW MANY PEOPLE GIVE THAT GUY TEN BUCKS? PROBABLY NOT THAT MANY. MY HUSBAND DOES, YOU KNOW, SO IT ADDS UP. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HERE THAT PAY 6000, 7000, 10,000. MY NEIGHBOR PAYS $14,000 IN PROPERTY AND SCHOOL TAXES, $100 HERE, $200 HERE, $300 HERE. IN A COUPLE YEARS, YOU'RE AT 15, $16,000. SO THERE'S A 2% CAP OR COST OF LIVING INCREASE, WHICH IS EVER LOWER, AS DICTATED BY NEW YORK STATE. AND THE TOWN BOARD CAN OVERRIDE IT, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEKING TO DO IS TO OVERRIDE THAT 2% CAP. OKAY. AND

[00:55:04]

BUT WE COULD DO IT. LIKE THAT. OKAY. WELL OKAY. SO HERE'S MY THING. SO HE TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE DISTRICT AND YOU KNOW, THE TAXES ON THAT. WHY DON'T YOU DO WHAT THE CITY OF BUFFALO DOES AND HAVE A SEPARATE INSTEAD OF ROLLING IT INTO THE TOWN TAX AND DO IT AS A REFUGE TAX. SO THAT WAY THE RESIDENTS KNOW THIS IS THE GARBAGE TAX AND IT'S NOT ROLLED INTO THE GENERAL TAX. PAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT? IT IS A SEPARATE LINE IN THE BUDGET AS WELL AS IT'LL BE A SEPARATE LINE UNDER TEXT. RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING. IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR TAX BILL THERE'S TEN 1213 DIFFERENT. THERE IS YES, YES A SEPARATE LINE ON THE TAX BILL IS CALCULATED IN THE OVERALL TAX LEVY THAT THE TOWN OPPOSES. IT WAS NOT A PART OF THE DISCUSSION FOR THE 7.4% TAX INCREASE DISCUSSED TODAY. SO IF YOU WANT AGAIN I'M GOING TO SAY I'M GOING TO ASK DO THE RESIDENTS OF SOUTH 2% KNOW THEY WAIVED THE THREE MINUTES THEY DID. THEY VOTED ON AND WAIVED IT FOR THE PREVIOUS PERSON.

YEAH. SO IT APPLIES TO I'M JUST SAYING JUST LISTEN. ABSOLUTELY. STAY AS LONG AS YOU WANT TO KNOW. 2% STATE LAW. I'M ASKING YOU NOT TO BREAK IT OKAY. DIG DEEP. DO CUTS WERE NECESSARY? IF YOU WANT TO DO THE TRASH, DO THE TRASH CUT IN OTHER AREAS. GET RID OF SOME OF THE TAKE HOME VEHICLES, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE IT 2%. MAKE IT 2%, NO MATTER HOW PAINFUL IT IS. OKAY, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ELECTED TO DO. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO, I JUST WANT TO REMODEL A LITTLE BIT ON THE IDEA. I REPRESENT THE IDEA OF THE FINANCIAL CHAIRMAN OF IT. MY NAME IS BOB REYNOLDS. JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WITH THE IDEA WITH OUR PILOT PROGRAM, THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS DO NOT GET PILOT PROGRAM, FIRE DISTRICT, SEWER DISTRICTS. THEY PAY THEIR TAXES RIGHT AWAY. WE'VE BROUGHT IN 300, $300,000 IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE'VE CREATED 1200 JOBS IN HERE. IF WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THE TAXES WOULD BE RIGHT NOW GOING UP AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO THE IDEA SERVES A PURPOSE. I'VE BEEN ON IT EIGHT YEARS. WE ARE NOW HAVING PEOPLE. WE HAVE FIVE YEAR IDEAS OR FIVE YEAR PILOTS, TWO YEAR PILOTS OR THREE YEAR PILOTS, AND WE HAVE EIGHT YEAR PILOTS. A LOT OF OUR PILOTS ARE COMING TO AN END. WHEN THEY COME TO END, THEY START PAYING FULL TAXES. RIGHT NOW, EVERY YEAR THEIR TAXES INCREASE AND IT HELPS OUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND IT HELPS OUT THE INDUSTRIAL BASE OR THE TAXPAYERS WITH THE INDUSTRIAL BASE THAT WE'RE WE'RE DOING, WE DO WE DO MOSTLY INDUSTRY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO CREATE JOBS TO GET A PILOT PROGRAM. SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET HERE. THE YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE A $1.2 BILLION BUDGET WITH THE COUNTY. WITH DAN, WE KNOW THAT BUDGETS HAVE TO GO UP AND DOWN

[01:00:05]

BUT THAT'S HOW THE IDA GOES. AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO QUESTION YOU, THEY CAN QUESTION YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. SO NOPE OKAY. SO SO NOW YOU GOT ME MORE CONFUSED. YOU'RE SAYING THIS INCREASE IS BECAUSE OF THE GARBAGE. LIKE HE JUST EXPLAINED THAT IT GOES UP 90 BUCKS BECAUSE OF THAT. WELL, WE'RE PAYING $86 A MONTH WITH THE PRIVATE ONE RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S WHY IT WOULD BE DISINGENUOUS FOR ANYONE ON THIS BOARD TO SAY THAT THAT'S THE ONLY REASON TAXES HAVE GONE UP, I SAID THROUGH MEETINGS AND AND IN THE PRESENTATION, SIR. AND YOU SAT THROUGH IT AND EVERYONE ELSE SAT THROUGH IT. RIGHT? I HEARD POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY. YOU COULD SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, LIKE A SHELL GAME. LOOK HERE, DON'T LOOK HERE. WE HAVE TO RAISE TAXES BECAUSE THE GARBAGE. EXCUSE ME. GET RID OF THE GARBAGE. GET RID OF THE GARBAGE. YEAH. WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT AND IT'S MR. MALECKI, IS THAT CORRECT? HE WAS POINTING OUT, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM, RIGHT. THOSE ARE SIGNIFICANT COSTS. YEAH, THOSE THOSE ARE I UNDERSTAND THOSE. THERE'S EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. NOW WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT ONE WAY TO CUT COSTS IS MAYBE TO CHANGE BENEFITS. AND LOOK I USED TO WORK FOR FOR UNION. I'M PRO-LABOR. HOWEVER THE TOWN DOES OFFER VERY GENEROUS HEALTH BENEFITS TO OUR EMPLOYEES. THOSE GO UP. THEY I WOULD SAY THAT SHOULD SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE. OH, I AGREE, THEIR EMPLOYEES. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. A STATE EMPLOYEE FOR FAMILY HEALTH PLAN PAYS 25% OF THEIR COVERAGE FOR SINGLE. IT'S 10%. NOW WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT PAY NOTHING AND THEN GET HEALTH INSURANCE FOR FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY RETIRE.

AND THOSE COSTS THE TOWN A LOT OF MONEY AND THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. NOW POLITICALLY, WHEN I SAY THAT MAYBE TOWN WORKERS WOULD SAY, GEE, THAT'S THAT'S NOT GREAT, BUT MY JOB IS TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN. CORRECT. AND WHEN I WORK FOR A UNION, IT WAS TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF, OF OF THE UNION. AND THEY'RE DIFFERENT. SO IT WOULD BE DISINGENUOUS TO YOUR POINT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, OH, IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF OF THE TRASH. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. IT'S EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ARE GOING UP. SALARIES ARE GOING UP ABOUT $1 MILLION. AND THEN HOSTS OF OTHER EXPENSES AS WELL. AND LAST YEAR I SAT WITH MY COLLEAGUES. AND IT'S TRUE WHAT WHAT THE EXPERTS SAID WHAT MR. SHEA AND MR. MALECKI SAID. I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS ABOUT WHAT MY NOTES SAY. IT WAS 70. IT WAS 75% OF OF PERSONNEL COSTS ARE EMPLOYEE INSURANCE AND EXPENSES AND SO FORTH. SO GOING OVER THE BUDGET, THERE ISN'T A LOT REALLY TO CUT. MR. REYNOLDS TALKED ABOUT IT AS WELL. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT A CROSSROADS, MEANING. OH GO AHEAD I'M SORRY. OKAY. SO SO THE IT WAS 76 ACCORDING TO HIS PAPERWORK, BUT HE SAID 75 WHEN I READ IT. AND THEN YOU GOT TO ADD IT WAS ABOUT 75. YEAH. IT SAID 76 ON ON. WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT BROKEN DOWN THEN YOU GOT THEN YOU GOT THE EMPLOYEES WITH THEIR VEHICLES. NOW THAT ADDS ANOTHER. NOW YOU'RE BACK UP IN THE 80% IS EMPLOYEES INCREASES IN SALARIES. AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S SIGNIFICANT FOR MOST MUNICIPALITIES, INCLUDING THE STATE OF NEW YORK. I THINK THE STATE OF NEW YORK, ABOUT 80%. WE'RE ONE OF THE HIGHEST TAXED IN THE COUNTY. I KNOW THAT HAMBURG IS SURE. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AS A BOARD, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I DON'T I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE LEFT, YOU KNOW, WESTERN NEW YORK TO OTHER OTHER STATES FOR LOWER, LOWER TAXES. I HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. AND SO WE HAVE TO DECIDE, BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL GO TO TENNESSEE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE A STATE INCOME TAX, OR PEOPLE WILL GO TO FLORIDA, OR THEY'LL GO TO OTHER STATES, AND WE CAN WE CAN CONTINUE TO RAISE TAXES ALL WE WANT. AND SOME PEOPLE, THEY SEEM TO LIKE IT. SOME PEOPLE DON'T. YEAH, I KNOW, BUT BUT IT'S TRUE THOUGH. YEAH. BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE FEEL THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE THE SOLUTION TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING.

AND OTHER PEOPLE LIKE ME FEEL THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE SMALLER, THAT WE SHOULD PROVIDE

[01:05:01]

AND WE SHOULD LOOK AT EVERY WAY TO SAVE MONEY POSSIBLE THE SAME WAY THAT YOU WOULD WITHIN YOUR HOUSEHOLD. AND I THINK IT WAS MR. COLLINS WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO EAT, EAT HOT DOGS. I MEAN, I LIKE FILET MIGNON, BUT I DON'T EAT IT EVERY DAY. GROUND BEEF OVER STEAK, THREE MINUTES. WE GOTTA DO. WE GOTTA DO IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO, ANYWAY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD WAS SAYING THAT YOUR TAXES WEREN'T GOING UP OR THE $4,000. I THINK WHAT MR. REYNOLDS DID SAY WAS IT'S IT OFFSETS THE COST. YOUR TAXES ARE GOING UP $90. I'M PAYING $300 LESS THAN MY GARBAGE OR 400. OR SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE LESS, MAYBE HIGHER. I DON'T KNOW, I'M. I'M. THEY JUST. I JUST LEFT WHERE I WAS AT BECAUSE THEY IT UP TO 700 SOMETHING DOLLARS. SO ANYWAYS. BUT THERE WAS A, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. WHO SAID WOULD LET'S TAKE THE GARBAGE AWAY, MR. SHAY. OKAY. WOULD OUR TAX INCREASE WITHOUT THE GARBAGE BE ABOVE THE TWO? THAT'S THE MAGIC QUESTION THAT EVERYONE I THINK.

LET ME HEAR ANY ANSWER HE DID. WE WOULD STILL BE ABOVE THE TAX. YOU SAID YES. CAN YOU LET THE MAN FINISH, PLEASE? SO YOU SAID IT. SO WITH THE CURRENT BUDGET, YOU WOULD CURRENTLY BE OVER THAT TAX CAP. THAT'S WHERE THE NEXT SEGMENT IS SO IMPORTANT IS TO WORK WITH THE BOARD TO GET UNDER THAT. THE REASON THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING IS GOING INTO PLACE IS TO HAVE THE LUXURY, NOT THE LUXURY, BUT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. IF WE NEED TO GO OVER THAT CAP, THAT HAS TO BE IN PLACE BEFORE YOU GET TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T ADOPT THE BUDGET THAT'S OVER THE TAX CAP WITHOUT THE PASSING OF THE LOCAL LAW TO ALLOW FOR THE EXCESS OVER THE DEBT. SO, PAT, AS FOR EXAMPLE, WE DID LAST YEAR, WE CAME FORWARD WITH AMENDMENTS THAT WERE ABLE TO WAS ABLE TO REDUCE THE SUPERVISOR'S BUDGET WITH THE DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS THAT THE TOWN BOARD PUT FORWARD. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE CAME FORWARD WITH AMENDMENTS AND WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THE SUPERVISOR'S BUDGET, NOT THINKING ABOUT THE THE GARBAGE THAT $4 MILLION, AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT BELOW THE 2%, DO WE STILL NEED TO HAVE THE RESOLUTION TO GO OVER THE LEVY TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE GARBAGE OR NOT? IF YOU IF WE'RE CERTAIN THAT WE CAN GET UNDER THAT, THAT WE WOULDN'T BE THE RESOLUTION GETTING THE RESOLUTION IN PLACE.

JUST KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, WOULD WE? YOU'D STILL NEED IT FOR THE GARBAGE, WOULD WE? RIGHT. IF IF WE. YEAH. IF YOU TAKE GARBAGE OUT AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET OUR BUDGET BELOW THE 2% BECAUSE THAT'S ONE ISSUE NOW, THAT'S ONE ISSUE. NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LEVY THOUGH, WHICH DOES HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THE BUDGET. DO WE NEED THAT RESOLUTION TO ACCOMMODATE THE GARBAGE BUDGET? EVEN IF WE CAN GET OUR SUPERVISOR'S BUDGET UNDER THAT? THE 2% THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, YES, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED THE RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE THE REFUGEE. SO IT'S BASICALLY GO OVER THE LEVY FOR THE GARBAGE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE REST OF THE BUDGET, IT'S NEEDED SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE HAVING THE GARBAGE DISTRICT, WHICH HAS BEEN HIGHLY FAVORED BY RESIDENTS IN THE TOWN BECAUSE OF THE COST, POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS FOR THEM. CORRECT. OKAY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IT'S AND IT'S IT'S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LEVY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND THEN THE THE TAX INCREASE. AND I AM COMMITTED TO FINDING THOSE POTENTIAL SAVINGS, AS WE'VE DONE IN PREVIOUS YEARS. BUT AGAIN, WE NEED THAT TAX LEVY RESOLUTION BECAUSE OF THE WE ALREADY KNOW FOR SURE. NO MATTER WHAT WE WOULD DO, WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE THAT 4 MILLION THROUGH THE LEVY THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR THE GARBAGE DISTRICT BECAUSE WE'RE A PASS THROUGH. CORRECT. OKAY. HOW MUCH OF THE BUDGET DO WE NEED TO GET REDUCED TO GET IT TO THE BELOW 2%? CURRENTLY, IT'S IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 500 AND 700,000 IS WHAT WE HAVE TO REDUCE. WE NEED TO EITHER REDUCE EXPENSES OR INCREASE REVENUES. BUT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL TOO, BECAUSE THE CURRENT BUDGET TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THAT WE'RE GOING TO PULL 800,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND, CORRECT? CORRECT. AND THE GENERAL FUND. MISTER MALARKY, I THINK YOU PROBABLY I'LL TAKE PAT OFF THE HOT SEAT FOR A HOT MINUTE. YOU CAN PROBABLY SPEAK BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER, THAT WE ARE DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO BEING AT THE LOWEST ACCEPTABLE LEVEL ON OUR GENERAL FUND. SO YES, ACCEPTABLE LEVEL. I COMPARED YOU TO THE OTHER TOWNS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT OUR IT'LL IMPACT OUR BOND RATING AND OUR CREDIT RATING AND ALL THAT. SO WE DON'T WANT TO MESS THAT HAS ACCESS TO THIS CHART. I PUT

[01:10:02]

IF THERE ARE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS IN HERE WHO NEED SIGNATURES, CHIEF DIENES IS BACK THERE. LET'S GET VOLUNTEER. HOW ABOUT EDDIE? JUST BUY HIM A PEN. EDDIE CAN SIGN. YEP.

ATKINSON. MR. HUGHES CAN ALSO SIGN MR. HUGHES AND CHIEF DIENES. YOU WANT TO HELP THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS OUT WITH THE SIGNATURE, PLEASE? THANK YOU. WANT TO GET THE MINUTES OUT OF

[3. Minutes of Previous Meeting]

TOWN BOARD DOES HEREBY APPROVE THE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING. SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. CARRIED. DO THE PROCLAMATION NEXT. KATHY, DO

[4.4. Proclamation]

[4.5. Plumbing Exam]

[4.3. Public Hearing Proposed Local Law #11, 2025]

NOTICE THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN. THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD BEFORE THE TOWN BOARD ON THE 20TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025, 7 P.M. TOWN HALL. TO HEAR ALL INTERESTED PARTIES AND CITIZENS FOR OR AGAINST ADOPTED OF PROPOSAL. LOCAL LAW NUMBER 11 FOR THE YEAR 2025. PROPOSAL. THE LAW SEEKS TO OVERRIDE THE TAX LEVY LIMIT ESTABLISHED IN GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW. SECTION THREE C COPIES WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE OF TOWN CLERK FOR INSPECTION DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.

[01:15:01]

[4.6. Public Hearing-Routine Program Change Local Waterfront Revitalization Program]

HAMBURG TOWN BOARD. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS JOSHUA ROGERS. YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE ME FROM THE HAMBURG PLANNING DEPARTMENT. I ALSO WORK FOR A COMPANY NAMED WENDEL, WHICH IS AN ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION AND PLANNING ENGINEERING FIRM. AND TONIGHT, BEFORE WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, I WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE TOWN'S WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM. WITH ME. I HAVE WENDY SALVATORE OF PLANNING. SHE HAS HER OWN COMPANY. SHE WORKED AS A CONSULTANT FOR THIS WATERFRONT PLAN. SHE WAS A MENTOR DURING THE PROJECT, HELPED WRITE IT, AND HAS HELPED PUSHING IT ALONG FOR THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT. WHAT I WANT TO DO IS KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE WATERFRONT PLAN TO THE TOWN BOARD AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IN THE PUBLIC, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME SEEKER AND ACCEPTANCE RESOLUTIONS. FOLLOWING THIS PUBLIC HEARING. I KIND OF JUST WENT OVER SOME OF THE PROJECT PLAYERS DURING THE FORMATION OF THIS WATERFRONT PLAN. MYSELF AND WENDY ARE ON THE CONSULTING TEAM. WE WORKED WITH THE TOWN OF HAMBURG WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. WE WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE WHO GAVE THE GRANT FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE NEED APPROVAL FROM THE TOWN OF HAMBURG TOWN BOARD. WHAT'S NOT SHOWN HERE? THAT PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL PART WHERE THE SHORELINE COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN, THE TOWNS COMMITTEE, THE TOWN'S PLANNING BOARD, THERE WERE A NUMBER AND ALSO, PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, WERE THE TOWN RESIDENTS WHO HELPED GET THIS DRAFT PLAN TOGETHER. SO I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE ENTITIES AS WELL. SO WHEN I SAY A LOCAL WATER WHAT AND WHEN I SAY AN WHAT DOES THAT STAND FOR? AN RP STANDS FOR A LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM. THE WAY I LIKE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE RP IS IT'S A COMP PLAN FOR THE WATERFRONT AND LOCALIZES CONTROL OF THE WATERFRONT. IT GUIDES FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. IT GUIDES POLICIES, IT GUIDES FUTURE PROJECTS. IT GUIDES LAND USES WATER, USES ZONING CHANGES, ALL WITHIN THE TOWN OF HAMBURG'S WATERFRONT INCREASES OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THERE WAS THAT PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BUDGET. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE RP DOES IS ONCE YOU ADOPT AN RP, THERE IS A TON OF GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS THAT ARE RUN THROUGH THE TOWN. AND THEN IT'S A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS. SO I PRESENT THIS TO THE TOWN OF HAMBURG TOWN BOARD. BUT LIKE I SAID, ALONG THE WAY, WE'VE HAD PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH RESIDENTS, WE'VE MET WITH THE SHORELINE COMMITTEE, WE'VE MET WITH OUR PROJECT WATERFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. SO WE TRY TO GET AS MUCH INPUT ALONG THE WAY TO PRESENT THE DRAFT PLAN THAT IS NOW BEFORE THE TOWN BOARD. YOU KNOW ME. IS THERE ANY WAY OF UTILIZING THIS? THERE'S A PROBLEM ON COLUMBIA WITH THE DRAINAGE THAT GOES OUT. THE UNFORTUNATE THING ON THE OTHER SIDE BY THE LAKESIDE, THERE'S SOMEBODY'S HOME THERE WHERE THE DRAINAGE IS, AND IT GETS CLOGGED UP AND TRYING TO GET PERMISSION TO GET ON THERE. IS THERE ANY WAY THROUGH THIS THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT LIKE A PERMANENT SOMEHOW FIXTURE TO GET THAT CLEANED UP? YEAH, THERE IS A WAY. NOW IT'S IN SECTION FOUR OF THE RP AND I'LL GET TO THAT, WHICH TALKS ABOUT TOWN PROJECTS. AND I'LL KIND OF GET TO THAT AND KIND OF GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT WE WROTE IN THE LW RP THAT I KIND OF THINK SPEAKS TO YOUR POINT.

JUST IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, WE HAD THE PLAN KICK OFF. SO THIS IS A FOUR YEAR GOING ON FIVE YEAR PLAN. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE JUST DID IN A YEAR OR TWO YEARS. THIS STARTED BACK IN AUGUST OF 2021. WE WENT THROUGH THE INVENTORY. WE WENT THROUGH THE POLICIES, AND I'LL KIND OF DESCRIBE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS. IN A LATER SLIDE. WE WENT THROUGH

[01:20:04]

SO THERE ARE SEVEN SECTIONS WITHIN THE ONE IS THE BOUNDARY SECTION, TWO IS THE INVENTORY AND THE ANALYSIS. THREE IS THE POLICIES FOR OUR PROPOSED LAND AND WATER USES AS WELL AS PROPOSED PROJECTS. WHEN I SAY PROPOSED PROJECTS, THOSE ARE TOWN SPONSORED PROJECTS. SO THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT THE TOWN WOULD DO. SECTION FIVE IS TECHNIQUES FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

SIX IS STATE AND FEDERAL ACTIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE LIKELY TO AFFECT THE IMPLEMENTATION. AND THEN SECTION SEVEN IS COMMITMENT AND CONSULTATION. SECTION ONE NOW.

YEAH. BUT I'LL. SO FOR SECTION ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BOUNDARY. SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE BOUNDARY AND WHAT IS ENCOMPASSED IN THE TOWNS, THE TOWN HAS WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE WRC. AND THE WRC STANDS FOR THE WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION AREA. THE WRC IS BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO DISTINCT AREAS. SO THERE'S ONE. THERE'S THE COASTAL HAMBURG WRC, AND THAT INCLUDES THE LAKE ERIE SHORELINE. IT INCLUDES A PORTION OF 18 MILE CREEK AS IT EXTENDS INTO THE CREEK, AND WHERE IT BIFURCATES WITH BIFURCATE MEANS IS IT SPLITS INTO TWO BRANCHES AND THEN IT HAS FOUR SUBAREAS. SO THERE ARE THREE COASTAL SUB AREAS THAT ARE ALONG THAT LAKE ERIE SHORELINE. AND THEN THAT FOURTH COASTAL AREA IS ALONG THE BRANCH OF 18 MILE CREEK. THEN THE SECOND SECTION OF THE WRC WE HAVE IS THE INLAND HAMBURG WRC, THAT CONSISTS OF THE LENGTH OF 18 MILE CREEK THAT EXTENDS FROM WHERE THE CREEK BIFURCATES. REMEMBER, THAT MEANS THAT IT SPLITS INTO TWO, AND THEN IT FOLLOWS. THE MAIN BRANCH OF THE CREEK GENERALLY FOLLOWS AN EASTERLY DIRECTION, AND THEN IT COINCIDES WITH THE TOWN OF BOSTON BORDER. AND THEN THERE ARE TWO SUB AREAS WEST LOCATED WITHIN THE INLAND HAMBURG WRC ONE. THAT'S ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE VILLAGE, AND ONE THAT'S ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE VILLAGE. JOSH, I THINK IT'S REALLY WORTH NOTING. THAT'S WHAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THIS, LW IS THAT IT IS INCLUDING THE 18 MILE CREEK, WHICH OUR LW P HAS NOT DONE BEFORE. THAT IS CORRECT. AND THAT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT. RIGHT. SO THE LAST LW WAS ADOPTED IN 2012. AND THAT 2012 LW THERE WAS ONLY THREE OF THE COASTAL SUB AREAS. NONE OF THAT LW WRC EXTENDED INTO 18 MILE CREEK OR EXTENDED OVER TO THE VILLAGE OR INTO THE TOWN OF BOSTON. SO THIS SLIDE JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT WRC BOUNDARY LOOKS LIKE. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT BLUE LINE THAT KIND OF EXTENDS THAT'S 1500 FEET INTO LAKE ERIE, WHICH IS PART OF THIS WRC, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT THE TOWN CAN LOOK AT WHEN WE DID THE INVENTORY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PROJECTS, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE POLICIES. NOTE THAT THIS BOUNDARY DOES EXTEND 1500 FEET INTO LAKE ERIE. AND THEN WHEN I MENTIONED THE INLAND HAMBURG WRC, THAT IS THE ORANGE AND THE PURPLE THAT'S ON THE SCREEN, THE ORANGE IS HAMBURG INLAND SUB AREA, ONE THAT EXTENDS OUT OF THE TOWN OF EATON. IT'S BY THE GOLF COURSE AND IT CONTINUES ALONG THE BRANCH OF 18 MILE CREEK AND THEN INLAND HAMBURG. SUBAREA TWO IS THE ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE VILLAGE OF HAMBURG, AND COINCIDES WITH THE TOWN OF BOSTON BORDER. SO THAT KIND OF JUST GIVES YOU A GEOGRAPHICAL VIEWPOINT OF WHAT THAT BOUNDARY LOOKS LIKE. SO ONCE WE SET UP, ONCE YOU SET UP SECTION ONE, WHICH IS THE BOUNDARY, ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR BOUNDARY KIND OF COMPLETE, YOU THEN MOVE INTO SECTION TWO. I LIKE TO THINK OF THE SECTION TWO AS THE CORE OF THE LW RP. THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC DATA. THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF YOUR DATA COLLECTION, A LOT OF YOUR RESEARCH, A LOT OF YOUR EXISTING CONDITIONS. GO INTO SECTION TWO OF THE LW RP. REMEMBER WHEN I SAY I LIKE IT'S PROCEDURAL? ONCE YOU SUBMIT SECTION ONE, YOU SUBMIT IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. YOU GET COMMENTS ON IT. ONCE YOU GET THOSE COMMENTS BACK, THEN YOU MOVE ON TO SECTION TWO. ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE ABOUT THE RP IS THAT IT KIND OF KEEPS YOU IN ORDER, AND IT KEEPS YOU IN LINE. YOU DON'T MOVE ON TO SECTION FIVE WITHOUT HAVING DONE SECTION ONE AND THEN MOVING ON TO SECTION TWO, WHEREAS WE'VE SEEN IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLANS, YOU KIND OF START AT THE FRONT AND YOU END UP AT THE BEGINNING, BUT THE MIDDLE KIND OF GETS A LITTLE LOOSE WITH THIS PLAN. WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO AND WHAT WE HAD TO DO WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IS MOVE VERY PROCEDURALLY IN ORDER. THE INVENTORY AND THE ANALYSIS OF SECTION TWO, IT COVERS THE ENTIRE AURA. SO IF I GO BACK THIS ENTIRE AREA FROM THE BORDER OF THE CITY OF LACKAWANNA NEAR BLASDELL, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THAT BORDER

[01:25:03]

AND RIGHT NOW THERE ARE 13 COASTAL POLICIES IN THE THE 2012 HAMBURG AND THIS LTP THAT'S GOING TO GET ADOPTED IN 2026. THERE ARE NOW 44 OUT OF THOSE 44 POLICIES. THEY INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM ENERGY GOALS, WETLANDS TO ICE MANAGEMENT. THEY LOOK AT LAND USES. THEY'RE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES THAT ARE WITHIN THE TOWN. ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO NOTE IS THAT OUT OF THE 44 COASTAL POLICIES, ALL OF THEM HAVE A SUBHEADING THAT IS SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT COMES FROM THE STATE, THAT LANGUAGE. WE CANNOT CHANGE. ONE THING THAT WE CAN DO, THOUGH, IS LOCALIZE SOME OF THOSE POLICIES SPECIFIC TO SOME OF HAMBURG'S CONCERNS, SOME OF HAMBURG'S WATERFRONT ISSUES THAT MAY NOT HIT FROM A STATE LEVEL. BUT WE WANTED TO LOCALIZE. SO JUST TO RECAP, WE DID SECTION ONE. SECTION ONE IS THE BOUNDARY. YOU KIND OF FORMAT YOUR BOUNDARY. YOU GO INTO SECTION TWO. SECTION TWO IS YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS AND YOUR RESEARCH.

IT KIND OF SETS THE STAGE FOR EVERYTHING, ALL OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN THE SECTION THREE IS THEN THE POLICIES THAT KIND OF SET THE STAGE FOR ALL OF THOSE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL RESOURCES THAT YOU'RE REVIEWING IN YOUR IN YOUR WATERFRONT. AND THEN YOU GET TO SECTION FOUR, WHICH ARE PROPOSED LAND USES, PROPOSED WATER USES, AND TOWN PROJECTS. SECTION FOUR INCLUDES SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LAND USE CHANGES IN THE WRC. SPECIFICALLY, A LOT OF THEM ARE IN COASTAL SUBAREA ONE, SO I'LL QUICKLY JUST GO BACK TO THE MAP JUST SO YOU CAN SEE THAT'S IN THE RED. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THAT'S A LOT OF WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S IN THIS PART OF THE THE WATERFRONT. THERE'S SOME RESIDENTIAL HOMES IN THE WATERFRONT. THERE'S A LOT OF INDUSTRIAL IN THIS AREA. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WHEN WE LOOKED AT SECTION FOUR, A LOT OF THE PROPOSED LAND USE CHANGES THAT CAME OUT OF THE LW RP ARE PROPOSED IN THAT AREA. SOME OF THEM ARE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM THAT BROWNFIELD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLAN. AND THEN THERE WAS A LIST OF 21 PROPOSED PROJECTS. SO COUNCIL MEMBER COLE'S UP TO YOUR POINT. YOU ASKED ABOUT, IS THERE ANY WAY FOR THE LW TO ADDRESS SOME DRAINAGE ISSUES AND CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THE WATERFRONT AREA? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID HAVE AS A PROPOSED PROJECT WAS LOOKING AT STORMWATER AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE AS A PROPOSED PROJECT. WE ALSO HAD SOME EDUCATION STANDPOINTS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND OUR CURRENT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. SO WHAT YOU CAN DO AND WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO IN THIS LW IS SPECIFICALLY PUT TOWN PROPOSED PROJECTS THAT THEN THERE WOULD BE GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE AFTER THE TOWN ACCEPTS THIS PROJECT, OR ACCEPTS THE LW, THAT THE TOWN CAN THEN APPLY FOR A GRANT FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE PROPOSED PROJECTS. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LW. ALL OF THOSE 2121 PROJECTS ARE LISTED ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE, SO EVERYONE CAN KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THOSE PROPOSED PROJECTS ARE. THEY KIND OF THEY FROM SUBAREA ONE, WHICH IS BY THE CITY OF LACKAWANNA BORDER, AND THEY EXTEND ALL THE WAY INTO THAT INLAND SUB AREA, WHICH GOES TO THE TOWN OF BOSTON BORDER. SO THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE TRIED TO MAKE THEM VERY COMPREHENSIVE. WE REALLY TOOK A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE SHORELINE COMMITTEE AND THE TOWN'S LW, RP COMMITTEE. WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING IN MAY OF 2024. WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD INPUT FROM SOME NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE IN THE WATERFRONT AREA, BUT WE ALSO GOT A LOT OF GOOD INPUT FROM PEOPLE WHO JUST LOVE TO COME DOWN TO THE WATERFRONT AND KIND

[01:30:02]

AND A HUGE THING THAT WE FOUND OUT ALONG THE WATERFRONT IN PARTICULAR, AND THAT'S WHY WE DID THIS, WAS NUMBER ONE, TO ADD THE EIGHTMILE CREEK, BECAUSE IT WAS ESSENTIAL, BUT IT WAS ALSO TO UPDATE THIS LIST SO THAT IF OPPORTUNITIES DID COME UP IN THE FUTURE TO HAVE PROJECTS FUNDED, IF THEY'RE ON THAT LIST, IT REALLY DOES UP OUR THE QUALITY OF OUR APPLICATION. THAT IS CORRECT. JUST TO KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT I MEAN BY GRANT FUNDING. THE VILLAGE OF WATKINS GLEN, WHICH IS IN SCHUYLER COUNTY IN NEW YORK STATE, THEY DID AN LTP IN 2017. WHILE THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT, THEY'RE A VILLAGE.

THIS IS A TOWN. AND THEIR PROJECTS THAT THEY PUT IN THERE. I JUST ATTENDED A CONFERENCE WHERE ONE OF THEIR PLANNERS WAS AT THE MEETING, AND SINCE THAT 2017, THEY HAVE RECEIVED $24 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING FOR THEIR PROPOSED PROJECTS THAT WERE PUT IN THEIR WATERFRONT.

SO AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT THAT THEY PUT IN THEIR WATERFRONT WAS DEMOLISHING AN EXISTING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND BUILDING A NEW ONE. THEY GOT ALMOST $9 MILLION FROM THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. THEY HAVE A LOT OF THEY HAVE A CREEK IN THEIR WATERFRONT WHERE THEY HAVE A LOT OF WAYFINDING, AND THEY WANT TO GET A THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE DOWN THERE VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE DOWN TO 18 MILE CREEK. SO THERE ARE SOME A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN PUT IN THAT PROPOSED PROJECTS IN SECTION FOUR OF THE LIP, AND THAT JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU A SNAPSHOT OF HOW MUCH FUNDING IS AVAILABLE. I'M NOT SAYING THE TOWN WILL GET $24 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING, BUT THAT JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT MAYBE WE COULD GET ERIE COUNTY TO MOVE THEIR SEWER OFF OUT OF THE LAKE. YOU CAN LOOK INTO IT, JOSH, IF RESIDENTS ARE HEARING THIS AND WANT TO FIND THE 21 LISTED PROJECTS, WHERE WOULD THEY GO? BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA LIE, I JUST DID A QUICK WRP ON OUR WEBSITE AND THERE ARE 100 PAGES TO DIG THROUGH.

IF YOU GO TO SECTION FOUR OF THE LWP. ALSO, IF YOU USE A BROWSER AND YOU USE YOUR SEARCH FUNCTION, SEARCH FUND FUNCTION AND SEARCH UP SECTION FOUR, YOU CAN GO THERE. I DON'T HAVE THE PAGE NUMBER OFF OF THE TOP DIRECT RESIDENTS. I JUST QUICKLY TRIED TO FOLLOW ALONG.

I'M LIKE, THEY'RE NEVER GONNA FIND. YEAH, THERE'S I THINK RIGHT NOW THERE'S IN TOTAL 280 SOMETHING PAGES WITHIN THE LWP. IT'S A VERY COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT, BUT IF YOU WANT TO SKIP ALL OF THAT AND GET TO THE PROJECTS, JUST LOOK UP SECTION FOUR OR LOOK AT THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. GO TO SECTION FOUR. OR YOU CAN JUST SEARCH SECTION FOUR WITHIN THE DOCUMENT. AND THAT'S WHERE THE PROPOSED PROJECTS WILL WILL START OFF AT. THANKS, JOSH. YEP. FOLLOWING SECTION FOUR YOU THEN GO INTO SECTION FIVE WHICH ARE THOSE TECHNIQUES FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

SECTION FIVE LOOKS AT YOUR EXISTING LAWS AND YOUR EXISTING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND YOUR EXISTING ZONING THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTED IS THAT THE TOWN NEEDS TO LOOK AT ITS CHAPTER 270. CHAPTER 270 IS THE WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PART OF TOWN CODE? IF YOU GUYS RECALL, WE'VE ACTUALLY UPDATED IT A LITTLE BIT PRIOR. BUT NOW THAT THE AARP IS NEARING ADOPTION, THE TOWN NEEDS TO UPDATE THAT. WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THE CHAPTER 272, WHICH IS THE WETLANDS PROTECTION PART OF THE CODE. WE NEED TO AMEND IT TO BE CONSISTENT. AS YOU ALL KNOW, DEC UPDATED THEIR WETLANDS LAW AS OF JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR. SO WE NEED TO UPDATE THAT LAW TO BE CONSISTENT WITH DEC'S NEW FRESHWATER WETLANDS REGULATIONS, WHICH ARE GOING TO CHANGE AGAIN IN 2028. BUT WHILE WE WHILE WE'RE UPDATING THE LTP, WE MIGHT AS WELL UPDATE IT TO BE AS CONSISTENT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. ALSO, AS A PART OF LWP, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE CAN SEE IN THE SCREEN ON THE TOP LEFT PART OF THE SCREEN. I WANTED TO GO OVER SOME OF THE REZONINGS OF PROPERTIES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING IN COASTAL HAMBURG SUBAREA ONE, THAT IS THE AREA THAT IS CLOSEST TO THAT CITY OF LACKAWANNA BOULDER. IN THERE WE LOOKED AT THERE'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY, PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT ARE OWNED BY THE WOODLAWN FIRE COMPANY, AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY ZONED R3. R3 IS MULTIFAMILY, MEANING THAT TECHNICALLY, RIGHT NOW APARTMENTS COULD GO IN THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THAT PROPERTY TO BE REZONED TO IS PR, WHICH IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION DISTRICT, MEANING THAT WHAT'S ALLOWED IN THAT DISTRICT IS WHAT IT SAYS PARKS, RECREATION, SMALL GARDENS, THINGS OF THAT SORT. IT CAN BE PUBLIC PARKS, IT CAN BE PRIVATE PARKS. WE THOUGHT THAT IT MADE SENSE BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS IT BEHIND THE FIRE COMPANY'S PROPERTY, BUT IF YOU LOOK TO THE EAST,

[01:35:01]

OH, THERE'S ANOTHER SCHOOL OVER THERE TOO, OR SOMETHING. THE FORMER WOODLAWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROPERTY. OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALSO, OR THAT I BELIEVE IS PART OF I THINK, WENDY, THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE REZONING THE WHAT THE FORMER WOODLAWN SCHOOL, THE THREE PARCELS THAT ARE OUTLINED THERE ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE TOWN, AND THEY'RE USED BY THE FIRE COMPANY FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES. THAT'S WHY WE SUGGESTED, I DON'T THINK THE FORMER WOODLAWN SCHOOL ZONING IS. AND IF WE DIDN'T CHANGE IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S AN ISSUE, IT'S NOT PART OF THIS. YEAH. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS. YEAH. THEN THERE'S A VACANT PARCEL DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE GATEWAY. IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HAMBURG. IDA ACTUALLY PURCHASED A PARCEL THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO DEVELOP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT PARCEL, WHICH IS ON THE SECOND IMAGE THAT IS CURRENTLY ZONED M3, WHICH IS OUR HEAVIEST INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO REZONE THAT TO PR PARKS AND RECREATION, MAINLY BECAUSE THERE ARE A BUNCH OF WETLANDS ON THAT PROPERTY, AND IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO DEVELOP THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. SO WE'D BE LOOKING TO REZONE THAT TO PR PARKS. AND THEN THE THIRD PARCEL THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO REZONE IS A PARCEL THAT I KNOW HAS GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION. IT'S THE SITE OF THE FORMER HAMBURG SKATE PARK AND THE BLAISDELL WATER TREATMENT PLANT. IT'S BETWEEN HOOVER ROAD AND ROUTE FIVE. RIGHT NOW IT'S ZONED R2, SO I KNOW THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, WELL, WHAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IF IT WAS CONTINUED TO BE ZONED, HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW. RIGHT NOW, TECHNICALLY, YOU COULD PUT A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OR A DUPLEX ON THAT SITE. I ALSO WANT THAT THAT PARCEL IS OWNED BY THE TOWN, SO IT'S OWNED BY A PRIVATE DEVELOPER. THE PARCEL THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, WHERE THE FORMER SKATE PARK IS, IT WAS OWNED, WAS OWNED AND IS OWNED BY THE TOWN. AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO REZONE THAT TO PR AND PARKS. THEN JUST FOR SOME MORE ZONING THAT'S IN THAT SUBAREA. ONE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROPERTIES OVER IN ATHOL SPRINGS THAT ARE BY CAMP ROAD AND SAINT FRANCIS DRIVE THAT ARE CURRENTLY ZONED C-3. IF YOU GUYS RECALL, I'VE, I'VE COME TO THIS BOARD BEFORE TALKING ABOUT C3. C3 IS OUR OFFICE DISTRICT. WE'RE LOOKING TO EVENTUALLY REMOVE C3 BECAUSE IT HAS NO USE IN THE TOWN. THE ONLY THING YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO IN THAT DISTRICT IS OFFICES, WHICH YOU CAN NOW DO IN C2. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO CONSOLIDATE THAT ZONING DISTRICT, REMOVE IT.

IF WE REMOVE IT, WE NEED TO REZONE PROPERTIES. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS SOME OF THOSE C3 PROPERTIES HAVE EXISTING HOMES ON THEM. AND WHAT WE'D BE LOOKING TO DO IS REZONE THOSE HOMES TO R1, THE ONES THAT HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES IN THIS PART OF ATHOL SPRINGS. THERE'S A WINDSURFING BUSINESS. I BELIEVE THE SELLER'S INSURANCE SITE IS IN THIS AREA THAT HAS AN EXISTING BUSINESS, SO WE DON'T WANT TO REZONE THAT TO R1 AND MAKE THOSE USES NON-CONFORMING. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO REZONE THOSE TO NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL, WHICH KIND OF MEETS THAT INTENT OF THAT DISTRICT, OF HAVING LOWER INTENSITY COMMERCIAL USES. BUT YOU CAN STILL DO A SINGLE FAMILY HOME IN NC DISTRICT. SO WE THINK THAT MAKES MORE SENSE TO REZONE THOSE PROPERTIES IN THERE NOW. RIGHT? RIGHT. CORRECT. AND THEN I KIND OF JUST TOUCHED ON THAT THERE'S SOME SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO REZONE TO R1 INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM BE C3 BECAUSE THEY'RE CURRENTLY NON-CONFORMING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN C3. SO REZONING THEM TO R1 WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE THOSE HOMES A CONFORMING USE, WHICH WE ALWAYS LOVE TO DO. AND THEN IN INLAND HAMBURG SUBAREA ONE, WE'D BE LOOKING TO REZONE THE HAMPTON BROOKS WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA.

THIS IS A DC OWNED AREA. IT INCLUDES 78 ACRES OF FOREST LAND, SEVEN ACRES OF WETLANDS.

IT HAS FOUR ACRES OF BRUSHLAND. RIGHT NOW IT'S ZONED RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL. WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO REZONE THAT TO PR PARKS TO KIND OF MATCH SOME OF THE OTHER PARKS THAT ARE IN THIS AREA. 18 MILE CONCRETE PARK IS ZONED PR, TAYLOR WOOD PARK IS ZONED PR, SO WE WANT TO KIND OF MATCH SOME OF THE OTHER LARGER SCALE PARKS AND FORESTED LAND AREAS TO MATCH WHAT'S ALREADY EXISTING. SO JUST KIND OF RECAP. NOW WE'RE ON SECTION SIX.

SECTION ONE IS THE BOUNDARY. SECTION TWO IS GOING OVER THE INVENTORY IN YOUR DATA COLLECTION. SECTION THREE IS THE POLICIES THAT THEN SETS THE STAGE FOR YOUR SECTION FOUR.

THAT'S YOUR LAND USES. THAT'S YOUR WATER USAGE. THOSE ARE YOUR TOWN PROJECTS. SECTION FIVE IS LOOKING AT YOUR ZONING SECTION SIX AND SECTION SEVEN I LIKE TO CALL THOSE. BOILERPLATE MEANS THAT WE GET A TEMPLATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. WE DON'T REALLY CHANGE THE LANGUAGE MUCH ON EITHER ONE OF THESE SECTIONS. SECTION SIX IS STATE AND FEDERAL ACTIONS THAT ARE LIKELY TO AFFECT YOUR IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDES A LIST OF STATE ACTIONS, WHICH HAVE TO BE TAKEN IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE. IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT A LIST OF FEDERAL ACTIVITIES AND THAT AFFECT LAND AND WATER USE SOURCES IN THIS AREA. AND THEN IT ALSO HAS A MORE FOCUSED LIST OF ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY THE STATE. AND THAT GOES TO OUR SECTION SEVEN. OUR SECTION SEVEN IS OUR COMMITMENT AND CONSULTATION. WHAT THIS SECTION DOES IS IT TALKS ABOUT THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE TAKING TO HAVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. IT TALKS ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE TALKED TO AND MET ALONG THE WAY. ALL OF THE WATERFRONT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THE FOCUS GROUPS, THE DESIGN CHARRETTES, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS, ALL THE

[01:40:03]

AND THEN WHEN WE GET THOSE FINAL COMMENTS FROM ALL THOSE STATE AGENCIES, WE WILL THEN PROGRESS TO A FINAL. SO WHAT'S NEXT? FOLLOWING THIS PUBLIC HEARING, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT NEG DECK RESOLUTIONS AND A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE DRAFT LW AS READY FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.

THAT ACCEPTANCE RESOLUTION DOES NOT MEAN YOU'RE ADOPTING THE LW TONIGHT. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THIS TOWN BOARD IS COMFORTABLE THAT THAT DRAFT LW IS READY TO GO OUT TO ALL THOSE STATE AGENCIES, THAT IT'S READY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT IT'S READY FOR AGENCY REVIEW AND COMMENT FROM THERE. DOSE WILL THEN COMMENCE 60 DAY REVIEW. FROM THERE, WE WILL GET COMMENTS BACK FROM ALL THOSE AGENCIES THAT I JUST MENTIONED THAT ARE GENERATED BY 60 DAY REVIEW, AND WE'LL START TO PREPARE THE FINAL AMENDMENT. THE TOWN BOARD WILL ADOPT A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THAT LW, HOPEFULLY SOMETIME IN THE SPRING OF 2026. AND THEN ONCE WE GET SECRETARY OF STATE APPROVAL AND CONCURRENCE BY NOAA, THEN WE WILL HAVE AN OFFICIAL LW, RP.

SO BEFORE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING SIDE, I DO JUST WANT TO GIVE A LOT OF THANKS TO.

WITHOUT HER, WE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET THE DRAFT LWP TO WHERE IT IS AND LWP WHILE I SAID I LIKE BECAUSE IT'S PROCEDURAL, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S 280 PAGES. THERE IS A TON OF INFORMATION FOR A TOWN LIKE HAMBURG THAT'S 60,000 PLUS. THERE'S A LOT OF WATERFRONT AREA. ADDING 18 MILE CREEK ADDED A LOT MORE AREA FOR US TO HAVE TO REVIEW. I WANT TO ALSO GIVE THANKS TO THE TOWN BOARD FOR NOT ONLY DOING THIS PROJECT, BUT GIVING A LOT OF THINGS TO THE RESIDENTS AS WELL. WITHOUT THEM, WE DEFINITELY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THIS PROJECT TO WHERE IT IS. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S STILL IN THE DRAFT STAGE. WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO DO, BUT I THINK WE HAVE IT IN A REALLY GOOD SPOT AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK AND THE EFFORT THAT WE HAVE DONE TODAY. AND WITH THAT, THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION AND I'LL TAKE ANY COMMENTS DURING THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING. JOSH, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION BECAUSE THAT WAS A REALLY THOROUGH BUT REALLY IN-DEPTH PRESENTATION OF A 200 PLUS PAGE DOCUMENT. RIGHT. THE 21 PROPOSED PROJECTS. WHEN THIS GOES OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, LOTS OF PEOPLE. THAT'S THE PART THEY'RE GOING TO HONE IN ON.

THAT'S PART PEOPLE ARE REALLY GOING TO READ. AND IT'S ABOUT FOUR PAGES LONG. SO IT'S DIGESTIBLE. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS IN THERE THAT ARE BIG TICKET ITEMS, REALLY AMAZING THINGS THAT IF WE COULD PULL IT OFF, WOULD BE GREAT. I'M JUST LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION. THAT'S AN ASPIRATIONAL LIST. CORRECT? THAT IS NOT AN EDICT THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO ALL THESE 21 PROJECTS, AND WE ARE GOING TO FIND TAXPAYER MONEY, LIKE CONSIDERING WE JUST HAD A REALLY HEATED BUDGET DISCUSSION, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS OUR GOAL LIST AND KIND OF GIVES US A DIRECTION TO HEAD IN, BUT ISN'T SAYING LIKE, THIS HAS TO GET DONE BY THIS DATE OR ELSE CORRECT IF YOU IN OTHER WORDS, YES, CORRECT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE 21 PROJECTS THAT ARE IN SECTION FOUR, YOU HAVE SOME THAT I THINK ARE VERY ATTAINABLE, LIKE PUBLIC EDUCATION ON SEPTIC SYSTEMS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN CAN HIRE A CONSULTANT OR HAVE THE TOWN ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT EDUCATE TOWN DEPARTMENTS. AND ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT SYSTEMS AND GETTING SOME GRANT MONEY TO, YOU KNOW, RUN THOSE PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT'S VERY ATTAINABLE. THEN THERE'S LARGE THINGS LIKE ONE OF THE PROJECTS IS PARKING IMPROVEMENTS AT THE LAKE ERIE SEAWAY TRAIL CENTER. THAT'S OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND HAVING TO WORK WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES. THAT'S BIGGER PROJECTS ON THERE. JOSH, THERE, THERE ARE HUGE AND THAT'S THE SMALLER PROJECT. THERE ARE EVEN LARGER PROJECTS THAN THAT. SO THERE IS NO COMMITMENT THAT THE TOWN WILL BE ABLE TO GET GRANT FUNDING FOR ALL 21 PROJECTS. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO DO IN SECTION FOUR OF THOSE PROPOSED PROJECTS IS IF YOU DON'T WRITE IT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE MONEY ANYWAY, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL PUT IT IN THERE THAT ARE MENTIONED ARE IDEALS, BUT LIKE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS IN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, WE CAN PIVOT AND WE CAN MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THAT GENERAL VICINITY. CORRECT. WE ARE NOT LIKE MARRIED TO IT HAS TO HAPPEN IN THE EXACT SPOT, CORRECT? I'M SURE THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP DURING THE TIME WHEN THE PUBLIC HAS A CHANCE TO REVIEW ALL THIS. EXACTLY. YEP.

SO IS IT ALMOST LIKE PUTTING A PLACEHOLDER? IN OTHER WORDS, REALLY, IT'S MORE LIKE PUTTING

[01:45:02]

THEY ADDRESS EVERYTHING THAT THE 44 POLICIES DO. BUT THE STATE LIKES UPSTATE COMMUNITIES TO USE THE ACTUAL 44 POLICIES THAT COME OUT OF THE STATE'S COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. SO THE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE INVENTORY, THEY INFORM THOSE POLICIES. SO IF YOU READ THROUGH THOSE POLICIES, YOU'LL SEE SOME PLACES WHERE IT SPEAKS LOCALLY TO THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN HAMBURG THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, AND THE POLICIES HAVE TO BE ABIDED BY. AND THEY SET DIRECTION FOR AGENCIES OR LOCAL PROJECTS THAT ARE TO BE PROPOSED OR CONDUCTED IN THE WATERFRONT AREA. THAT'S THE COASTAL CONSISTENCY. REVIEW THAT CHAPTER 270 OUTLINES. THAT WHOLE PROCESS IS FOUNDED ON THOSE POLICIES. ANY PROJECT THAT'S PROPOSED IN THE WATERFRONT AREA HAS TO BE REVIEWED FOR CONSISTENCY WITH THOSE 44 POLICIES. SO THEN THE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ALSO INFORM THE PROJECT LISTING THAT GOES INTO SECTION FOUR, OR THOSE ZONING AMENDMENTS OR OTHER CHANGES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN SECTION FIVE, WHICH LOOKS AT THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF IT. BUT JOSH IS RIGHT. YOU'RE NOT TIED TO ANY OF THOSE THINGS. THEY'RE JUST YOUR WISH LIST. AND IT'S BASED ON WHAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES OR PROBLEMS IN YOUR WATERFRONT AREA. IF YOU GET TO THEM. YES. HOW HOW MUCH WILL THEY COST? WE DON'T KNOW. WE PUT IN OUR BEST GUESS TIMELINE. BEST GUESS IF YOU IDENTIFY SOMETHING THAT YOU DO WANT TO DO, AND THERE'S A GRANT OPPORTUNITY AND YOU WANT TO GO AFTER IT, THEN YOU GET MORE FOCUSED ON IT AND THEN YOU'LL START TO LOOK AT IT. ARE THERE WAYS THE PROJECT COULD BE PHASED SO WE COULD REDUCE THE COST AND DO IT OVER A SERIES OF PHASES OR WHATEVER, BUT YOU CAN GET MORE DETAILED AND FOCUS ON IT. IF YOU IDENTIFY SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT. BUT YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S THAT'S.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP, JOSH. ALWAYS. THANK YOU. THE BLEASDALE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT. WHAT IS IT? PRESENTLY ZONED I BELIEVE IT'S ZONED M3 RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS OUR HEAVIEST GENERAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. THAT'S GOING TO STAY THE SAME. WHAT ARE THEY DOING THERE RIGHT NOW AT THE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT? OH, THE OLD ONE. OH. SO SORRY. THE OLD ONE IS CURRENTLY ZONED R2. SO SORRY. THE. I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT PLANT. THE OLD TREATMENT PLANT IS ZONED R2, WHICH IS SINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED. THAT'S A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.

WE'RE PROPOSING TO REZONE IT TO PR, WHICH IS THAT PARKS AND RECREATION DISTRICT, MEANING THAT IT WOULD BE ALLOWED. THERE ARE PUBLIC PARK, PRIVATE PARK, RECREATIONAL AREA, MINI GARDEN, THINGS OF THAT SORT. OKAY. AND THEY ARE BUILDING SOMETHING THERE. NOW. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY PROJECT. NO PROJECT HAS COME TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY AND IT'S TOWN OWNED, SO THERE'S NO PRIVATE DEVELOPER THAT IS A TOWN OWNED PROJECT. SO THE TOWN GETS TO DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. YEAH, SOMETHING. OKAY, WELL, WE CAN. NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE OLD SEWAGE, JEFFREY BOULEVARD. OH, THAT'S IN THE VILLAGE.

THAT'S HOW. THAT'S HOW, THAT'S HOW. SO, OKAY, WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING IS OUTSIDE OF THE WATERFRONT AREA. SO ALL OF WHAT I JUST PRESENTED AND ALL THOSE ZONING CHANGES WON'T RELATE TO THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. OKAY. YEP. SORRY, I HAVE A I'D LIKE TO MAKE. LIKE WITH THE MY NAME IS LYNN BRAUN. I DON'T WANT TO TALK THERE BECAUSE I HAVE BLOWN OUT. PETE, BRING HER THE MIC HERE. WOULD YOU MIND? I DON'T NEED THE MIC, BELIEVE ME. NO, YOU DO, BECAUSE IT WON'T. IT DOESN'T GET RECORDED IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MIC WITH THE LW. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WITH

[01:50:01]

[01:55:03]

AND I THINK WE ALWAYS CAN LOOK FOR WAYS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW WE CAN GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC. I KNOW WHEN OUR IT DEPARTMENT RESTRUCTURED THE WEBSITE, IT WAS WITH THE HOPE THAT THAT WOULD FACILITATE GETTING MORE INFORMATION OUT. BUT I THINK I SAID THIS TO YOU LAST WEEK. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE SUGGESTIONS, MORE WAYS TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT. I KNOW IN THE MEETING LAST WEEK, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THE BOUNDARIES BY THE FORMER ADMINISTRATION HAD BEEN EXPANDED AND WERE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HOOVER BEACH COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THAT. WITH THAT, THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, BECAUSE WHAT THE THINGS THAT YOU BROUGHT FORWARD ARE VERY IMPORTANT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO RESOLVE THAT. I HOPE WHAT JOSH JUST SAID ALLAYS YOUR FEARS THAT THAT THE LW DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE BOA. CAN WE SO CAN WE JUST SPEAK TO THIS? YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY, WE HAVE A THREE MINUTE LIMIT. AND IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT UP WITH THE BOARD, PLEASE PUT IT IN WRITING AT SOME POINT. BUT THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOU. THANK YOU. AND LET ME FINISH. I HAVE MY CONCERNS AND EVERYONE LIKE YOU SQUAWK WHEN YOU SAT HERE FOR OVER THREE MINUTES. SO YOU NEED TO JUST COOL. I DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING. DON'T VOTE FOR ME NEXT TIME, OKAY? ANY. SO ARE YOU READY FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK? WHAT I'M SAYING IS, LET'S STICK TO THIS. AND THEN WE COULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE OTHER SEPARATE ISSUES. THEY'RE NOT THE SAME. YEAH. NO. SO THIS IS FRANCINE GUYER FROM THE. I ALSO LIVE ON HOOVER ROAD. FROM BROWNFIELD PERSPECTIVE. I BACK LYNN IN THE FACT THAT US RESIDENTS ARE BEING THROWN IN. AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE HOOVER BEACH ASSOCIATION, BUT THEIR THOUGHTS AND THEIR THEIR CONCEPT IS MISLEADING. TO THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE SPECIAL GRANT FUNDING LIKE SPECIAL FAVORS OR SPECIAL THINGS FOR THEIR HOMES THAT ARE OFTEN DESTROYED IN WINTER STORMS. I GET ALL THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE FAIRLY EDUCATED ON WHAT BEING ACCEPTED INTO A BOA REALLY MEANS TO THEM IN THEIR HOME VALUE, AND TO THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES. TO BE TOLD THAT THEY'RE SITTING ON COMMUNICATED CONTAMINATED LAND. AND WHAT THAT MEANS FROM A LONG TERM LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE VALUE OF THEIR HOMES, FOR THEIR LIFESTYLES, ETC. I JUST TRY TO TALK TO BEING DEEMED BROWNSTONE. IF YOU LOOK AND REALLY READ THE DOCUMENT, WHICH IS A HUGE MANUAL OF WHAT A BOA MEANS AND WHAT IT DOES TO THE IMPACTED PROPERTIES, IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ON WHAT THE RISKS OF BEING TOLD THAT YOU ARE IN BOA ARE TO A HOMEOWNER, INCLUDING THE ABILITY FOR THE TOWN TO TAKE OVER YOUR PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S CONSIDERED CONTAMINATED. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF SCARY THINGS. BEING TOLD THAT YOUR BOA BOA AREAS ARE FOR THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF BOA AREAS DO NOT ILLUSTRATE OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE PROPER WAY. THE ILLUSTRATION IS BEING DOWNTRODDEN, POOR, UNEDUCATED, AND LIVING IN POORLY CONSTRUCTED HOMES AND VERY BAD LIVING CONDITIONS. THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE ON HOOVER ROAD, AND WE'RE NOT PART OF THE BETHLEHEM STEEL NECESSARILY. DAMAGE AND CLEAN UP THIS THAT THIS BOA IS INTENDED TO TO FIX. SO WE'RE WATCHING CLOSELY AND WE'RE HOPING THAT OUR TOWN BOARD, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND BEING CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SIGNING OFF ON AND WHO YOU'RE IMPACTING AND HOW. JUST PLEASE BE EDUCATED WHEN YOU WHEN YOU SIGN THAT CONTRACT OR SIGN THAT COMMITMENT. SO FOR THE I TO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN A. EXPERIENCE, I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD WITH AN WRP DECISION YEARS AGO. AND THAT'S WHY I STARTED ATTENDING TOWN MEETINGS 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO. IT WAS AT THE AWARENESS OF OF DECISIONS BEING MADE BY THE WRP COMMITTEE, NOT THE DOCUMENT. THE COMMITTEE THAT DRIVES THE DECISIONS THAT THEY USE THE WRP DOCUMENT TO MAKE. SO THEREFORE, I JUST WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE MORE ABOUT THE LWR COMMITTEE, HOW REPRESENTATIVES ARE CHOSEN FROM A DEMOGRAPHIC AND FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD PERSPECTIVE TO ENSURE THAT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PROPERLY REPRESENTED IN THE COMMITTEE, AND HOW THAT ELECTIONS, HOW THAT'S APPOINTMENT HAPPENS, BECAUSE THE DECISIONS THAT THE ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT THERE'S 21 NEW PROJECTS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE WELL COMMUNICATED, WELL REPRESENTED, AND THAT THOSE THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THE

[02:00:05]

[4.7. 2025 Town of Hamburg Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) SEQR Negative Declaration Resolution]

[4.8. 2025 Town of Hamburg Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) Public Agency Review Acceptance Resolution]

[4.9. Scranton Volunteer Fire Company Member Requests]

[4.10. Youth Sports Congress Virtual Training]

[4.11.Approve Erie County STOP DWI Contract]

[02:05:05]

[4.12.YRSS promotion - John Zoda]

[4.13.Approve YRSS PAF - Witryk]

[4.14.Town Hall Parking Lot Project Contract 2025-06 - To Advertise]

[4.15.Former Dispatch Area Abatement and Demo - Substantial Completion]

[4.16.B&G Snow Pusher Purchase]

[4.17.B&G Emergency Generator Purchase]

YOU NEED ONE FOR VILLAGE. AND WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? BUT WAIT, WHAT DID HE HAVE TO SAY? I'M SORRY. WHAT WERE YOU SAYING? YOU DIDN'T HEAR WHAT YOU SAID. YOU NEED ONE FOR BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. AND YOU WANT THE VILLAGE AND GROUNDS. THERE'S NO. THERE'S NOTHING THERE. NO ONE ABC ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. OKAY. TAYLOR. ROAD ALCOHOL WAIVER REQUEST RESOLVED. THE

[4.18.Taylor Road Alcohol Waiver Request]

[4.19.Youth, Recreation, & Senior Services P.A.F.]

[4.20.Personnel Department PAF]

[4.21.Y.R.S.S. Copier Renewal Agreement]

[Additional Item 1]

[Additional Item 2]

[02:10:06]

SO THE TOWN HAS RECEIVED A A SERIES OF OBJECTIONS TO THE PETITION. THE PETITION THAT FOR THE REFERENDUM REGARDING THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE SUBJECT OR PURPOSE OF THAT SERIES OF OBJECTIONS IS TO INVALIDATE THE PETITION. IN ADDITION, A SPECIAL PROCEEDING WAS FILED IN THE ERIE COUNTY SUPREME COURT DURING THE LAST WEEK. I'VE BEEN ADVISED WHERE THE SAME SIMILAR TYPE OF CHALLENGE WAS LAUNCHED TO INVALIDATE THE PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM PETITION, AND THEREFORE THE COURT WILL THEN HAVE TO HEAR AND DECIDE THAT ISSUE. THANK YOU. HAS NO EFFECT ON THE BUDGET, RIGHT? KEN? WHEN CAN WE ANTICIPATE A DETERMINATION, A DECISION STATUTE PROVIDES FOR A PERIOD OF SINCE THERE'S A SPECIAL PROCEEDING WITH CERTAIN PREFERENCE OVER OTHER ACTIONS, THE STATUTE PROVIDES FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF 20 DAYS. BUT IT DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY DEFINE WHEN THAT RUNS FROM. BUT IT IS A VERY SHORT AND RAPID TURNAROUND TIME COMPARED TO MOST ACTIONS IN COURT, AND SO IT SHOULD COME FAIRLY QUICKLY. THANK YOU. WHAT JUDGE IS THAT BEFORE, KEN. IT'S BEEN ASSIGNED TO JUSTICE JOHN LICATA. OKAY. CLERK HAS A QUESTION. NO, I JUST SAY I HAVE A REPORT. OH GO AHEAD. THE STAR WAS MENTIONED EARLIER. THE NEW YORK STATE HAS TAKEN OVER STAR FOR ENHANCED STAR. SO IF YOU'RE 65 OR OLDER WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW IS RATHER THAN GOING AND APPLYING AT THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, THE STATE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE OVER THE PROCESS. THEY WILL LOOK AT YOUR NEW YORK STATE INCOME TAX RETURN TO GAUGE YOUR INCOME AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE. IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE ADDED TO STAR ENHANCED STAR. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AT ALL, I HAVE A PHONE NUMBER. IT'S (518) 457-2036. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE GETTING A STAR REBATE OR A CREDIT, WHICH MEANS YOU'LL EITHER GET A CHECK SENT TO YOU OR IT'LL BE DIRECTLY TAKEN OFF YOUR BILL, YOU CAN GIVE THIS NUMBER A CALL. OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'VE PAID YOUR BILL ALREADY, YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN IT IF IT'S ON THERE. SO IF YOU'RE WONDERING IF YOU'RE GETTING A CHECK, GIVE THIS NUMBER A CALL AND THEY CAN TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR ENHANCED STAR. ALSO ONE OF THE REPORT, WE'VE GOT OVER 90% OF THE SCHOOL TAXES COLLECTED. THE PENALTY PERIOD HAS STARTED. THAT BEGAN ON THE 15TH. THE NEXT PENALTY PHASE WILL BE 30 THE 31ST. WANTED TO ALSO THANK PAT FOR HIS HARD WORK ON THE. THE BUDGET DID A GREAT JOB, PAT AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE A COLORING CONTEST GOING ON. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT'S DUE THE 24TH, WE'RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER THEN. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY KIDS AT 12 AND UNDER ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE BY ALL MEANS GET THEM A COPY. AND ALSO WANTED TO LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT I'VE. I'VE BEGUN THE PROCESS WITH ITS DOCUMENTARY DOCUMENTARY HERITAGE AND PRESERVATION SERVICES. SO IT'S A GRANT OF SORTS AND THAT THEY PROVIDE FREE SERVICES FOR ARCHIVAL NEEDS ASSESSMENTS. SO THIS CAN HELP US ESTABLISH OUR PRIORITIES A LITTLE BIT BETTER WITH SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP. AND THERE'S NO CHARGE FOR THE FOR THE, THE SERVICE. IF, IF YOU AWARDED THE THE OPPORTUNITY. AND FINALLY, JUST WANTED TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY DIWALI FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, HAPPY FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. IT'S A HINDU, JAIN AND SIKH THING. NO ONE. SORRY. IT'S A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS THOUGH. IT'S GOT TO BE FUN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YEAH.

THANKS FOR ENLIGHTENING US. I'LL BE HERE ALL DAY, FOLKS. JUST WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW.

EVERYBODY KNOW REAL QUICK. WE WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN THE GOLF COURSE NOVEMBER 1ST. I KNOW

[02:15:04]

WE ARE. I MAY BE SPEAKING OUT OF TURN, BUT WE ARE FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT THE LOCKER ROOMS WILL BE OPEN FOR HILBERT'S FIRST GAME, WHICH IS ACTUALLY HALLOWEEN, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED. OCTOBER 31ST. AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE CONCESSIONS WILL BE DONE PRETTY QUICKLY AFTER THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. THANKS. THANK YOU. FOUND NOTHING TO FINANCE. I THINK YOU DID ENOUGH. ARE YOU SURE YOU SPOKE MORE TODAY THAN I'VE HEARD YOU SPEAK IN THE LAST TWO YEARS? I WAS HERE FIVE, FIVE. GOOD EVENING. START WITH THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS US. WE'RE IN ZONE THREE THIS WEEK. IT'S THE LAST WEEK OF BRUSH FOR 2025. SO IT'S GOING TO BE YOUR YOUR LAST PICKUP. LARGE TRASH THIS WEEK IS YOUR LAST ONE FOR THE YEAR ALSO. SO HAVE IT OUT FOR ALL THIS WEEK AND YOUR PICKUP DATE. THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO COME AROUND. HOPEFULLY ANY CALLBACKS PLEASE CALL MY OFFICE AND WE'LL TRY TO GET THEM ALL SQUARED AWAY. ALSO, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FINISHING UP MY PROJECT. WE'RE PUTTING IN TABLETS AND ALL THE PLOW TRUCKS TO HELP HELP OUR PLOW DRIVERS COORDINATE IT AND TO MAKE MAKE THE PLOW SEASON A LITTLE MORE EASY. IT'S ANOTHER TOOL FOR OUR PLOW DRIVERS. IT'S A TURN BY TURN UNIT THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN THERE. IT'S GOING TO HELP THEM OUT. SO PLUS WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. SO IT'S IT'S DEFINITELY A NICE TOOL. SO IT'S IT'S DEFINITELY IN OUR FAVOR. AND ALSO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PICKING UP ALL THE LEAVES.

PLEASE PUT THEM IN BROWN BAGS. THIS IS WE'LL BE DOING THIS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND ALSO THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST IS A SATURDAY ELECTRONICS DROP OFF FROM 930 TO 1230. JUST JUST SHOW UP. YOU HAVE TO BE A TOWN RESIDENT AND WE WILL TAKE IT. AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S THE END OF THE YEAR. IT'S GOING TO BE AT OUR BARNES 2720 LAKEVIEW ROAD NEXT SATURDAY, RIGHT THIS SATURDAY, THE 1ST NOVEMBER FIRST. SO NEXT SATURDAY, SATURDAY. OKAY. I'M CONFUSED.

I'M SORRY I DON'T SKIP OVER HALLOWEEN. YOU WILL HAVE A LOT OF LITTLE KIDS VERY UPSET WITH YOU. YEAH. NOVEMBER 1ST. MY FAULT. TWO WEEKS. OKAY. YEAH. HEY, AND THOSE COMPUTERS THAT ARE GOING INTO THE VEHICLES, IS THAT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE UNIONS, OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT? WE'RE GOING TO. WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT. YES. THE TABLET, THE TABLETS ARE NOT THAT. EVERYTHING ELSE I GUESS IS THEY'RE GETTING I'M GETTING A LITTLE KICKBACK. YES. OKAY. YES, CHIEF. HELLO. TWO DATES TO KEEP IN MIND. FIRST, THIS SATURDAY FROM 10 TO 2, WE ARE PARTNERING PARTNERING WITH WEGMANS FOR DRUG TAKE BACK. SO 10 TO 2. WEGMANS MCKINLEY PARKWAY FOR ANY OLD PRESCRIPTIONS DRUGS, MEDICATIONS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET RID OF. AND THEN THE BIG ONE IS THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24TH FROM 6 P.M. TO 8 P.M. IS OUR FOURTH ANNUAL TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS. SO 6 TO 8 AT THE HAMBURG FAIRGROUNDS THIS FRIDAY, RAIN OR SHINE.

WELL, YEAH, WE'LL WE'LL BE THERE. SO WE'LL SEE. HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER COOPERATES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. FOR PLANNING DEPARTMENT. OUR NEXT PLANNING BOARD MEETING IS NOVEMBER 5TH, ON NOVEMBER 3RD, WHICH IS THE NEXT TOWN BOARD MEETING. I WILL BE OUT IN THE FOYER AGAIN PROVIDING SOME UPDATES ON ALL THE ZONING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. SO I'LL BE OUT THERE BEFORE THE WORK SESSION ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS ON SOME OF THE ZONING RELATED TO THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING TO REVIEW COMMERCIAL. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC FOR LETTING ME YAP AT YOU FOR 30 MINUTES ON THE I APPRECIATE YOU APPROVING THOSE THOSE RESOLUTIONS THAT'LL REALLY BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT DOCUMENT FORWARD AND REALLY PROVIDE A GOOD PLAN FOR THE WATERFRONT, FOR THE FUTURE OF THE TOWN. SO THANKS. AND, JOSH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN CONDUCTING BEFORE. WE ARE VOTING ON ANYTHING. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO ASK QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN VERY WELL RECEIVED. I GET A LOT OF POSITIVE COMMENTS, SO THANK YOU. WELL, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T ASK, YOU DON'T GET. MR. GIACOMINI. FOR THE TRAFFIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, TAYLOR ROAD, WE ARE WORKING ON A SPEED REDUCTION STUDY, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT DONE BEFORE WINTER COMES.

LAKEVIEW ROAD I WILL BE SUBMITTING A RESOLUTION TO THE TOWN BOARD FOR THE NEXT ONE FOR SPEED REDUCTION STUDY. AND AS FAR AS THE TIMING AT HOWARD AND ROUTE 20, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN WORKING. I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK ON THAT. SO THAT WAS EXTENDED 10S. SO IT'S ACTUALLY SOMEWHERE AROUND 24 SECONDS DEPENDING ON HOW MANY CARS ARE THERE. SO IT'S

[02:20:03]

[Additional Item 3]

THOSE SAVERS. HOW ABOUT THE SAVERS. COUNCILWOMAN CLIFFORD BUSY WEEKEND. WE HAVE COMING UP IN THE TOWN. AND IN THE VILLAGE WE HAVE THE TRUNK OR TREAT IN THE TOWN. ACCORDING TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE ERIE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS ON FRIDAY. ON SATURDAY, IF YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH THE VILLAGE, IT IS THE LAST DAY FOR FARMERS MARKET.

BUT PLEASE BE MINDFUL. THERE IS ALSO TRICK OR TREATING GOING ON IN THE VILLAGE IN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT. SO IT IS LOTS OF LITTLE ONES USING ALL OF THAT SUGAR AND NOT NECESSARILY MAKING GREAT CHOICES WHEN IT COMES TO SIDEWALKS AND STREETS. SO PLEASE BE MINDFUL. THEY WILL THEN BE TAKING TO THE STREETS IN A PARADE AT 2 P.M. SO IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO CUT THROUGH THE VILLAGE AND MAKE IT A QUICK RUN THROUGH ON SATURDAY, IT'S PROBABLY NOT HAPPENING.

AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE VILLAGE ON SATURDAY, ON SATURDAY AS WELL, YOU CAN BE AT LAKESHORE LIBRARY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HALLOWEEN PARTY ALL DAY LONG, AND YOU CAN GO TO THEIR WEBSITE IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE NEXT TIME WE WILL SEE YOU ALL IS THE DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION, WHICH IS NOVEMBER 4TH. SO PLEASE GET OUT AND VOTE. BE MINDFUL. EARLY VOTING STARTS OCTOBER 25TH, WHICH IS ONCE AGAIN AT THE SAME LOCATION AS THE FARMERS MARKET. SO BE PATIENT ON SATURDAY WHEN YOU'RE THERE, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE LOTS OF PEOPLE ACCESSING THE SAME SITE ON THE SAME DAY. VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN. IT'S A LACK OF THING. NEVER MIND. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN PUTTING ON A VERY TERRIFIC EVENT YESTERDAY, AND THAT WAS VICTORIES OVER VIOLENCE, AND IT WAS HOSTED BY AND PUT TOGETHER BY OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CITIZENS ADVISORY GROUP. AGAIN, OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. THEY TEAMED UP WITH OUR HAMBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE ALWAYS SO WILLING TO STEP FORWARD. AND WHEN THEY HAD THE IDEA. JOHN WRIGHT IS ON THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD, AND WHEN THEY HAD THIS IDEA, HE WENT BACK AND THEY RIGHT AWAY SAID, YES, WE'RE READY. AND SO IT WAS A GREAT GAME BETWEEN OUR MEMBERS OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND VERSUS MEMBERS OF THE FRONTIER FALCONS HOCKEY TEAM. IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT EVENT, LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION. IT WAS. SO THEY GOT QUITE A WORKOUT YESTERDAY. THE FINAL SCORE, WELL, ACTUALLY, IN DEFERENCE TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT I WON'T SAY THE FINAL SCORE ACTUALLY THEY THEY KEPT IT VERY COMPETITIVE RIGHT TO THE END. AND IT WAS IMPRESSIVE TO WATCH EVERYONE.

BUT THANK YOU TRULY BECAUSE THEY GAVE OF THEIR TIME. THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD GAVE OF THEIR TIME AND AND ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS FROM FRONTIER HIGH SCHOOL TO AND I THINK EVERYONE THERE NOT ONLY RECEIVED A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION, BUT IT WAS GREAT FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT COMMUNITY EVENT. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ONCE AGAIN, THANK JOSH AND WENDY FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DID AND THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES ON THE.

IT'S A VERY FORTUNATE AND WONDERFUL PROBLEM, QUOTE UNQUOTE, FOR OUR TOWN TO HAVE.

WE ARE FORTUNATE TO EVEN NEED AN BEING THAT WE SIT ON LAKE ERIE AND ALSO NOW WITH INCLUDING THE 80 MILE CREEK CORRIDOR. IT'S IT'S A GREAT PROJECT TO HAVE TO WORK ON BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT'S ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL HIGHLIGHT OF OUR TOWN THAT WE HAVE 80 MILE CREEK AND WE HAVE LAKE ERIE. BUT WE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY FOR BEING STEWARDS OF BOTH THE LAKE AND THE CREEK. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO. COMMENT, AND JILL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID TO HELP COORDINATE THIS ALSO. BUT I KNOW WE HAD A NEW CONCESSION OPERATED THE OPERATOR AT THE GOLF COURSE, AND IT WAS NORA'S ON NINE. AND I KNOW AS I THINK THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS RECEIVED ALSO, I RECEIVED A FLOOD OF LETTERS IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS JUST COMPLIMENTING NORA'S ON NINE AND DENISE BIANCO, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THAT FOR THE FINE WORK THAT THEY DID AT THE CONCESSION STAND AT THE GOLF COURSE. SO WHEN YOU GET THAT MANY LETTERS, YOU KNOW THAT THAT SHE WAS DOING SOMETHING, SOMETHING RIGHT THERE. AND THEY ALL WERE VERY COMPLIMENTARY ABOUT HOW IT ADDED TO THE EXPERIENCE AT OUR GOLF COURSE. AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO COMES OUT FOR OUR

[02:25:03]

AND YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR IF YOU KNOW THE CLARK AND MCKINLEY INTERSECTION, YOU ALSO KNOW THE ARMORED DUALS INTERSECTION. AND THE COUNTY HAS BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO GET WORK DONE THERE, AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN APPLYING FOR THE SAME GRANT. THEIR STATISTICS FOR THAT INTERSECTION WERE MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT, WHICH POSITIONED THEM BETTER FOR THE GRANT, AND THEY WERE IN COMMUNICATION WITH US. WE KNEW THAT. THAT'S WHY THAT GRANT APPLICATION WAS NOT NOT SUBMITTED. AND THEN I BELIEVE IN GENERAL, THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT THE GRANTS, FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE WAY IN WHICH WE CAN POSITION OUR TOWN BETTER.

IF WE CAN TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THROUGH GRANT FUNDING AND LEGISLATIVE FUNDING, THAT DOES POSITIVELY IMPACT THE TAXPAYERS. I KNOW SINCE I'VE GOTTEN HERE, I THINK IT'S OVER 5 MILLION THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE IN GRANT AND LEGISLATIVE FUNDING. I THINK SPECIFICALLY, THEY'RE ASKING ABOUT THE SENIOR CENTER. IT IS UNFORTUNATE A LOT OF THE GRANT APPLICATIONS THAT WE HAD READY TO GO OUT ARE ON HOLD RIGHT NOW UNTIL THE ISSUE OF THE REFERENDUM IS RESOLVED. WE CAN'T PUT THOSE APPLICATIONS IN. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CATCH 22. SHE REFERENCED NEW YORK BRICK WITH THE WAY THAT GRANT WAS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE WAY THAT GRANT PROCESS WAS WRITTEN. THIS YEAR. OUR PROJECT DID NOT QUALIFY, BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN SOME PRELIMINARY INFORMATION THAT IT'S BEING RETOOLED A LITTLE BIT AND WILL BE OFFERED AGAIN FOR THE NEXT YEAR. AND WE WILL POSITION OURSELVES TO BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR ANY AND ALL GRANTS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SENIOR CENTER. BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR ANY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE IT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO HELP US MAKE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT INTERSECTIONS AROUND OUR SCHOOLS TO, YOU KNOW, DO A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS, INCLUDING SOME OF THE STUDIES THAT ARE HELPING US TO ADVANCE THE VISION FOR OUR TOWN SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT DENSITY SO THAT WE CAN CHANGE THE ZONING AWAY FROM APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE WE LOOK FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN TO EFFECTIVELY USE GRANTS NOT ONLY TO BRING IN MONEY, BUT ALSO TO POSITION OURSELVES TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE. IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMENTS THAT WE GET FROM THE PUBLIC. SO AGAIN, I'LL CIRCLE BACK AND SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH ALWAYS FOR YOUR YOUR INPUT. THANK YOU. I DID FORGET SOMETHING. THE MILITARY ORDER OF PURPLE HEARTS CHAPTER 187 DONATED THREE PURPLE HEART SIGNS AND TALKING OVER WITH THE VETERANS COMMITTEE WILL BE PLACING THEM THROUGHOUT THE TOWN MOSTLY HOPEFULLY LIKE IN THE ENTRANCES COMING INTO THE TOWN AND ONE MAYBE IN ONE OF THOSE CIRCLES. AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD ON THAT, THAT MCKINLEY AND CLARK ALSO THAT THAT JOB WOULD HAVE COST OVER $3 MILLION. PLUS WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO ENCOMPASS SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY. SO I WAS A NO VOTE ON THAT. AND I'M GLAD THAT WE WENT WITH THE COUNTY'S ORIGINAL PLAN. AND NORA'S MY GRANDSON DOES LOVE THOSE JACK BURGERS. OKAY, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO THANK MR. SHAY AND AND KIM.

SUSANNAH SPENT A LOT OF HOURS WITH ME GOING TRYING TO WORK ON THAT BUDGET. I'M SURE IT'S NOT WHAT EVERYBODY WANTED, BUT IT'S. IT'S THE FIRST SHOT. IT'S NOT A FINAL BUDGET. SO CERTAINLY THE BOARD MEMBERS CAN GET THEIR SHARPEN THEIR PENCILS AND SEE IF THEY CAN COME UP WITH SOME BETTER NUMBERS. I'VE ALREADY MET WITH THEM, SEVERAL OF THEM. SO HE WAS A STRAPPING BLOND HAIR GUY WHEN HE BEFORE HE STARTED ON THE BUDGET. NOW, WELL, AT LEAST HE'S STILL SMILING. SO. AND THANK YOU TO LUKE MALECKI. I SAID THAT OR NOT. SO. AND THEN I NEED THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO I KEPT GOING BACK TO THEM. GOT ANY MORE MONEY YOU CAN GIVE ME. SO.

AND SOME, SOME SOME OF THEM DID. SO I REALLY THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO THAT'S IT FOR ME. SO DID WE

[Additional Item 4]

[02:30:01]

YOU GOT IT SPECIFICALLY. SPECIFICALLY MATTERS REGARDING CONTRACTUAL. YES. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.