Board Minutes

 

 

 

 

 

 

§ Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to approve minutes from the public hearing on the 2017 Tentative Benefit Basis Budget & Tentative Ad Valorem Budget of October 24, 2016.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

§ Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to approve Minutes #2016-20 of October 24, 2016.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

 

1.     Re: “A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE 2017 TENTATIVE BENEFIT BASIS BUDGET & 2017 TENTATIVE AD VALOREM BUDGET” in the Town of West Seneca.

 

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to remove the 2017 Benefit Basis Budget from the table.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

Darryl Dusch questioned the continued presence of pumps at West Senior High School and commented that raw sewage is being pumped into the creek.

 

Supervisor Meegan responded the town is in the midst of a $70 million sewer project mandated under a consent order from the early 2000’s. In 2012, the current Town Board took action and has spent $30 million thus far on enhancements, including slip lining and siphon replacements that have reduced the amount of raw sewage pumping into the creek by 52 million gallons per year.

 

Councilman Hart explained the six pumping stations in town must be turned on during major rain events to avoid flooding in basements. Due to the overflows, the town is under a consent order, but the town is only allowed 12 million gallons per day to flow into the Buffalo Sewer Authority system and the overflow goes into Cazenovia Creek. Unfortunately, it is unavoidable if they are to prevent back up in residents’ basements.

 

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to close the public hearing.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to approve the 2017 Benefit Basis Budget with the attached amendments.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to remove the 2017 Ad Valorem budget from the table.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

Paula Minklei questioned if the town pays someone to help bring new business to town.

 

Councilman Hart responded the town has a $15,000 per year contract with Gerald Hathaway and the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce. The contract is available for public viewing.

 

 

Susan Kims questioned the $30,000 charge for an insurance administrator.

 

Town Attorney John Fenz responded that appropriation is for First Niagara who reviews the town’s insurance claims.

 

Karen Lucachik questioned the amount government employees contribute toward their pension.

 

Councilman Hart responded under NYS Law employees pay three percent toward their pension.

 

Karen Lucachik commented on Supervisor Meegan’s proposed salary increase and stated it will set a precedent going forward. She thought a three percent increase would be fair and noted West Seneca is one third the size of Amherst and their responsibilities are much greater. 

 

Supervisor Meegan referred to positions eliminated including two Town Board positions and other full-time and part-time positions in the Supervisor’s office and Finance Department that resulted in a savings of over $300,000 per year. Those tasks have been taken on by the Supervisor, her assistant and members of the Finance Department. Supervisor Meegan stated her salary should be on par with the duties and responsibilities of the position and there has been no salary increase since 2005. She stated her performance has demonstrated she is a full-time supervisor, this is her only job and she dedicates 55 to 60 hours per week to it.  Supervisor Meegan noted she is asking for less than what her predecessor earned in 2011, which was $86,000.  She further referred to the $25,000 increase given to the Town Attorney position last year along with $5,000 this year that was not questioned and suggested the objections to her increase are because she is a woman. 

 

Dale Clarke commented on the increase in taxes over the last four years even with positions eliminated and stated other jobs like the Town Prosecutor position were given to political allies. He further questioned the increase in the Town Attorney’s salary.

 

Councilman Hart stated the Town Prosecutor position is required by Town Law and Town Attorney John Fenz was given an increase because he was able to save $250,000 on outside counsel costs which justified an increase in his salary.

 

Mr. Clarke questioned why the budget director position is being reinstituted when it provided a cost savings to the taxpayers.

 

Supervisor Meegan stated she voted against the proposal to eliminate the budget director position when it was previously brought before the Town Board and even with that stipend her salary will still be less than the previous supervisor.

 

 

 

A Tampa Drive resident requested clarification on Supervisor Meegan’s 55 – 60 hour work week and the total compensation she receives.

 

Supervisor Meegan stated she is at work every day, Monday – Friday and regularly works weekends and evenings. Her current salary is $63,900 and she receives $500 as budget director, but she does not receive health insurance. As a full-time employee, she is part of the NYS Retirement System and will receive a NYS pension when she retires.

 

Caitlyn Dickey questioned the raise for Supervisor Meegan when youth programs were cut resulting in fewer options for youth to volunteer.

 

Supervisor Meegan responded Youth Coordinator Lauren Masset has made great strides with the Youth Department since taking it over and surveys showed there is less interest in some of the youth programs.

 

Blaine Steczkowski questioned Supervisor Meegan’s pension and if she is vested.

 

Supervisor Meegan responded she will be vested if she serves another two years and when she leaves employment the town will no longer pay into her retirement.

 

Michelle Poitras questioned if Supervisor Meegan’s duties and responsibilities have increased since last year to justify the raise. She further commented on the impact the last three years’ salary makes on a NYS pension and asked the council members to vote against the increase.

 

Supervisor Meegan responded she has consolidated, cut expenses and assumed more responsibility.  She also referred to the Supervisor in the Town of Lancaster who is a woman, whose salary is $66,997 and receives health insurance.

 

Julie Gorecki referred to the Ad Valorem budget and asked for clarification on the number of regular laborers in the Sanitation Department. She further questioned if the town keeps the late fees on property taxes.

 

Supervisor Meegan confirmed there are 15 laborers in the Sanitation Department.

 

Town Clerk Jacqueline Felser advised the town keeps the penalties on property taxes and the county receives the interest.

 

Mrs. Gorecki questioned the $1265 cut in the Senior Center Program Director salary and stated she is disappointed in the limited programs offered at the senior center. She further requested clarification on the role of caretaker for snow and miscellaneous and questioned the $62,000 cut in the budget.

 

 

 

Supervisor Meegan responded the Senior Center Program Director’s salary is not being cut; it is a correction from the previous year. The caretaker takes care of the Highway Department offices. The position was not eliminated but was moved to a different line item.

 

Senior Recreation Therapist of Senior Services Mary Josefiak stated over 28,000 people attend the senior center annually and they offer numerous programs including trips.

 

Maura Lillis Blonski, daughter of former Supervisor Joan Lillis, commented on the difficulty of the supervisor position, noting that a supervisor works twenty-four hours a day and even after retirement her mother continued to receive phone calls. Mrs. Blonski further commented on Supervisor Meegan’s dedication and commitment to the town and felt she is deserving of a raise.

 

Dolores Stefanacci questioned if Supervisor Meegan receives a stipend for not taking the health insurance. She further referred to issues that previously occurred with AmeriCorps and the compensation others received while she received nothing.

 

Supervisor Meegan responded she does not receive a stipend in lieu of health insurance and that benefit has not been offered to board members since 2013. Also, with regard to the AmeriCorps issue, that matter was investigated and Mrs. Stefanacci was not able to produce the necessary paperwork to afford her any compensation.

 

Richard Zmuda questioned how Supervisor Meegan plans to pay for the raise and commented on the lighting contract that was just undertaken by the town.

 

Supervisor Meegan stated her proposed increase has a .001 percent effect on the budget.

 

Councilman Hanley stated the town was anticipating a three year payback on the street lighting investment, but it will actually take 4.5 years for the project to pay for itself and then the budget will be reduced by $200,000 per year. The agreement with NYSEG allows properly licensed town electricians or qualified contractors to do maintenance as needed.

 

Mr. Zmuda commented on the revenues from code enforcement and electrical permits.

 

Councilman Hanley responded the fees brought in are paying for the electrical inspector’s salary and the town is also sharing the position with Orchard Park.

 

Councilman Hart stated Commonwealth used to charge the property owners for electrical inspections and now those fees are coming to the town.

 

 

 

 

Francis Marrano commented that anyone who questions the salary of Town Attorney John Fenz does not understand his job. Mr. Marrano also thanked the board members for the excellent job they are doing.

 

Paula Taton objected to the proposed increase for Supervisor Meegan and stated she is a state employee and has not had an increase in four years. Ms. Taton was not opposed to an increase, but thought 27 percent was excessive.

 

Beverly Leising referred to Page A-14 and the Senior Citizens Director salary reduction of $1265.  She further requested a copy of the adjustments made to the proposed budget.

 

Councilman Hart responded there was a posting error in last year’s budget and the salary reduction corrects that error. The adjustments were posted to the town’s website and the most current increase is 2.92 percent, which is under the tax cap.

 

Nora Mikes requested clarification on the action being taken at this meeting.

 

Supervisor Meegan responded the public hearing will be closed tonight and they will vote to amend, not adopt, the budget. The Town Board will consider all the information presented, make additional changes and hold a special meeting on November 14^th at 7 P.M. to adopt the budget.

 

Ms. Mikes questioned if the public will be allowed to speak at the November 14^th meeting prior to the budget vote.

 

Supervisor Meegan responded that although the public hearing will be closed they could possibly consider this request.

 

Matt Nycek expressed his opposition to the proposed salary increase for Supervisor Meegan.

 

David O’Brien questioned Supervisor Meegan’s background, noting the average salary for a person without a college degree is $30,000.

 

Supervisor Meegan responded she worked in the insurance industry for 25 years and also has two years at Canisius College but did not earn a degree.

 

Councilman Hart commented that experience is the real education in life beyond a college degree.

 

Dusan Palka commented there are no property taxes in Pennsylvania or California.

 

 

 

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to close the public hearing.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to amend the budget with the attached changes and schedule a special meeting for November 14^th at 7 P.M. to adopt the final budget.

 

 

1 – 3. Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, that proofs of publication and posting of legal notice: “OF A PUBLIC HEARING TO HEAR ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE CREATION OF VERONICA ESTATES LIGHTING DISTRICT, CLEARVIEW ESTATES LIGHTING DISTRICT AND CAMELOT PART III LIGHTING DISTRICT” in the Town of West Seneca, be received and filed.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Recreation Therapist of Senior Services Mary Josefiak announced the Veterans Day lunch to be held at the senior center on Thursday, November 10^th at noon.