Town Board searches for savings in proposed Shelter Island budget
Completing a first examination of the proposed 2025 Town spending plan and anticipated revenues, Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams told her colleagues on Oct. 11 that they would be hearing from a few more Town department heads and “then we have to go back and make the hard decisions.”
The Town Board was able to suggest a few areas where spending could be shaved and some potential increases in revenues that could cut the 10.2% increase projected by the supervisor’s first draft.
It’s still too early to project where the final budget will land, but no one is expecting it to be within the State-mandated 2% tax cap on raises year-to-year.
The majority of the Board’s time so far has been spent reviewing the draft page by page and raising questions about certain increases in the hunt for places to cut back on spending.
At Sunday’s candidate forum, two of the three people running for a spot on the Board said they had met with Ms. Brach-Williams to learn more about the proposed budget.
They admitted they don’t relish a huge tax hike, but have a better understanding of why it’s not easy to cut spending a great deal because of the number of contractual agreements in place requiring increases.
The budget being worked on will essentially be in place when one of the three candidates takes the vacant Board seat once the Board of Elections certifies the winner.
The winner of the race, while eligible to vote whether or not to adopt the budget, won’t have much opportunity to get up to speed by the time of a public hearing on the spending plan.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
The Board focused on the need to discuss with Senior Building Inspector Reed Karen the amount of work assigned to the Building Department. Everyone agrees the work load has to be streamlined but further conversation has to take place with guidance from Mr. Karen.
Mr. Karen has requested a change in his title to Principal Building Inspector with a bump in salary. This year, his salary is $50,417, plus longevity pay — after five years of service Town employees get additional pay based on their years of employment — and overtime for another $3,500.
If he gets the requested promotion and salary, he would receive $65,000, plus the same $3,500 longevity and overtime pay. The supervisor has budgeted $52,300, plus the $3,500 longevity and overtime pay.
Mr. Karen also recommended Building Inspector Brett Poleshuk be promoted to Senior Building Inspector with a salary increase. Mr. Poleshuk’s salary this year is $37,492. Ms. Brach-Williams’ budget is for $45,300 in 2025. But if he gets the promotion and requested salary, he would earn $52,500.
In addition, Mr. Karen had requested appointment of a new building inspector at a salary of $41,736, but that was deleted by the supervisor.
Deputy Supervisor Meg Larsen noted there is an anticipation of retirements in the Building Department and said it would be wise to bring in a new building inspector in 2025 so the department would be prepared for the future.
Councilman Benjamin Dyett said he wants to hear more from Mr. Karen about department needs.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT, ZBA, WATER COMMITTEE
Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals members want higher salaries than projected, saying they have been asked to take on more work than they used to handle.
Unlike most committees who have volunteer members, the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals members are paid for their services.
ZBA Chairman Phil DiOrio has been paid $11,124 this year and proposed $15,000 for 2025. Members have each earned $5,562; Mr. DiOrio’s proposal is to raise each of the four to $7,500.
The supervisor’s proposal includes the increases, but Mr. Dyett said that may be a place to cut.
Planning Board members are seeking more than the supervisor has suggested for legal, environmental or other professional services. The planners asked for $34,800; Ms. Brach-Williams recommended $24,050. The Town Board will discuss the item as they explore cuts in future workshop sessions.
The Water Advisory Committee (WAC) is seeking $5,000 for water testing. The Town Board may scrap that and, instead have the WAC seek funding from the Water Quality Improvement Advisory Committee (WQI), which gets its funds from a transfer tax paid by purchasers of property on the Island.
SENIORS
Among the programs that raised questions were rises in costs for senior meals. There has been an increase in the number of meals provided to homebound seniors.
Plans continue to include two group meals at the Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall for those who are able to attend those events on Mondays and Fridays. But meals are delivered to the homebound three days a week and on two of those deliveries, there are two meals provided to cover five days.
Instead of delivering hot meals, the switch has been made to cooled meals that are more practical. Volunteers had noticed some recipients failing to refrigerate the hot meals to be reheated and that led to the decision to provide cooled meals.
Not all expenses for senior services come from tax money. Suffolk County provides aid to offset some expenses. Still to be finalized is an agreement with the church for rent of the fellowship hall and kitchen, currently projected for 2025 at $48,000.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
What has become an annual target disputed year after year and ultimately funded is an annual $15,000 allocation to the Shelter Island Historical Society (SIHS). This year, no one was questioning the amount, but the services the Society renders to the Town in record storage.
Ms. Brach-Williams said she has to get information from New York State to guide a contract to indicate clearly that SIHS maintains specific records on behalf of the Town, but the ownership of those records remains with the Town.
The Town Board will continue workshops on Friday between 9 a.m. and noon followed by another session from 1 to 4 p.m. Plans call for wrapping up the workshops on Oct. 24 to place a legal advertisement on time for an upcoming public hearing on the budget in November. Municipalities are expected to adopt their budgets by Nov. 20.
