Supervisor Patrick Vecchio presented his 2015 Tentative Budget to the Town Council on Friday. Vecchio’s budget message is (as in years before) simple and to the point. “The 2015 budget is unique and different from previous budgets in that it consolidates and integrates blue-collar employees to achieve greater efficiencies and I want to thank Highway Superintendent Glenn Jorgensen for his cooperation in this endeavor. Also, a new method of recycling is introduced (see Appendix I and Appendix II),” Supervisor Patrick Vecchio. When asked for additional comments after the Town Board meeting, the Supervisor said his budget message says it all.
It will take some time to examine the Supervisor’s budget which is available online on the Town’s website. Some highlights include a tax increase around $11.66 for the average assessed ($5,500) house. The Town is restructuring departments and removing 21 employees from the Highway Department and transferring them to the Solid Waste Department. The employees will be available to work with the Highway Department when needed on the removal of snow.
Responsibility for the collection of leaves and brush has been removed from the Highway department and will now become a function of the Sanitation Department which has historically been responsible for the recycling of the materials. According to the Supervisors message, “consolidating the collection and recycling of leaves and brush within a single department will improve efficiency by allowing manpower and equipment to be easily shared by the two operation.
Included in the budget is a major environmental initiative, “single stream recycling”. The town is facing major expenses ($2-$4 million) to replace outdated equipment used in the recycling of our paper/metal. The explored options and determined that a single stream recycling program would be more convenient for residents and likely to increase participation. Once a week pick-ups of recyclables will continue, but residents will no longer need to separate the materials. In addition, there will be an increase in the materials that will collected. The single stream initiative is likely to begin January 1, 2015.
Town Board members will now have the opportunity to examine the budget and to make recommendations and or changes. The Town Board is expected to vote at the Tuesday, October 7th Town Board meeting to schedule a public hearing for later this month.