Colonie Town Supervisor Paula Mahan spoke about stimulating the economy, cooperation and teamwork in her State of the Town address.
Mahan spoke at 8:30 a.m. at the Century House in Latham and at 7:00 p.m. at town hall before the town board’s regular meeting.
The first presentation was sponsored by and limited to members of the Colonie and Albany-Colonie Regional Chambers of Commerce. The second is open to the general public.
Looking forward to 2010, Mahan acknowledged the challenges the town will face, as sales tax revenue is still sub-par and pension contributions are expected to climb.
As business owners you all know these are hard times, Mahan said.
The 2010 pension contribution rate for the Employees Retirement System is set at 7.4 percent, according to information from the New York State comptroller’s office. The average 2011 ERS will jump to 11.9 percent in 2011.
However, Mahan highlighted a number of positive projects and statistics and maintained a sense of optimism.
`It’s important to focus on the positives,` she said.
She noted that the town was named the safest municipality of its size in the U.S., and has reduced its budget deficit significantly in the past few years.
Juvenile crime is continuing to fall, she said, as it has been over the past 10 years and she attributed that to the fine work of the town’s law enforcement and two school districts.
She said even though the economy is not favorable, the town continues to try to cut costs and look for ways to stimulate the local economy. Through attrition, unfilled posts and reductions, the town cut its cost for employment by $1.9 million, she said.
It has also prevented a decrease in bond rating, with the last drop being in 2007.
`We will continue to be as disciplined as we were in the first two years so we can hold onto the gains we made,` she said.
Mahan said new businesses in Colonie like AngioDynamics, Fresh Market and Precision Valve and Automation could yield 105, 90 and 120 jobs respectively.
Initiatives to revitalize the Latham Circle Mall and to use federal stimulus money to boost Central Avenue are also underway, she said.
For the spring, green initiatives and projects to improve the town’s infrastructure are in the pipeline, including a new rooftop heating and cooling system for the William K. Sanford Library, which has seen drastic jumps in circulation. Circulation is up 4.8 percent, and up 210 percent since 2000, Mahan said.
Improvements to I-87 exit 6 and Maxwell Road extension to improve traffic flow and safety are also important, she said.
Mahan said the town, though, is behind on the normal 15-year paving cycle by about 6 years, and is planning to bond $2 million annually for the next 5 years to make repairs.
She said feedback from the community, and a partnership with the public and the business community is vital to success.
`We want to continue the dialogue we have begun,` Mahan said.
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