Glenville Supervisor Frank Quinn said at the Wednesday, April 21, Board of Trustees meeting that he attributes the higher-than-anticipated fund balance of just over $1.6 million to smart budgeting and increased fees that were seen across the board.
The changes we made added up, and now we are seeing them, said Quinn.
Quinn told the board that while they have a higher surplus than planned, he still has concerns regarding the future of the economy and would prefer that the town keep a stable tax rate for residents as officials hammer out the details of a town budget.
`I feel more comfortable having a rate that our residents know will not be all over the place, changing,` said Quinn.
The board also made cuts in overtime pay that added up to $84,000.
Overtime pay will be closely looked at in the police department, where some officers have been let go or put on administrative leave. The town does not have a designated fire department, and instead allocates funds to surrounding departments, including the Village of Scotia.
Last month, the town also looked into cutting services such as bulk waste pickup.
Council member Chris Koetzle said the board should be clear about the numbers before allocating the funds.
`Of course a surplus is something that we want to see, but it seems sometimes the numbers change, and I want to be sure we have everything correct before we start looking at how we are going to spend taxpayers’ money,` said Koetzle.
Some of the improvements on tap for the town in the coming year include re-examining a road paving plan, purchasing updated highway department equipment and installing a new police communications system.
The board will also be looking at smaller items, such as authorizing an additional $1,239 to be designated for the Memorial Day Parade, authorizing an additional $625 to be designated for Freedom Park, and hiring four seasonal employees at the rate of $8 per hour.
The board is also planning to accept a bid received from UHY LLP Certified Public Accountants of Albany to provide the audit of the town’s general purpose financial statements for 2007 at a cost not to exceed $27,700.“
