SPECIAL MEETING OF THE VILLAGE OF LYONS BOARD OF
TRUSTEES HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012, AT 10:30 A.M. AT THE VILLAGE HALL,
76 WILLIAM STREET, LYONS, NEW YORK.
PRESENT: Corrine
Kleisle, Mayor
Richard
Evangelist, Joanne Greco, Trustees
Denise
Darcangelis, Clerk-Treasurer
Michael
Salerno, General Working Foreman
Arthur
Williams, Village Attorney
ABSENT: Dennis
Alvaro, Deputy Mayor, Terry VanStean, Trustee
Also Present: Diana Smith, former Mayor of Seneca
Falls, Connie Sowards, former Village Administrator
of Seneca Falls and Ryan Colvin, MRB group
Mayor Kleisle introduced and welcomed everyone in
attendance.
An open discussion took place regarding the dissolution
of the Village of Seneca Falls.
Mayor Kleisle opened the discussion by asking Ms. Smith
what she would have done differently. Ms. Smith stated she would have
communicated more strongly to show the value of Local Government, what is being
worked on, and the services the Village provides are valuable.
Ms. Sowards stated this is an educational process;
informational workshops need to be held for the public to understand everything
that is being considered. Once the
dissolution happens, everyone is at the mercy of the Town Board.
Some things that happened in Seneca Falls:
·
Sewer rates went up 268%
·
Town tax payers paid 0%; town tax increased 500%
·
Residents now have to pay for trash pick up
·
The Town Board can decide at any time to eliminate
the Police Department
·
Tax rate reflects over $500,000 in state aid
annually, which may or may not continue; it’s based on state financing
·
The Town of Seneca Falls acquired over $2,000,000
in assets; left the debt to the Village residents
·
Village residents pay a debt service district fee
included in their tax rate
·
Cost of the study was $50,000, with an additional
cost of $626,000 to have property appraised, employee benefits, PILOTS,
easements, and contracts reviewed. All
that became part of the debt service for the Village residents
·
Village Labor contracts are not honored by the Town,
and they are under no obligation to hire Village employees
It is important that residents recognize that water and
sewer funds are self-supporting and not part of the impact on taxes.
Village Attorney, Arthur Williams, questioned the
retiree’s medical benefits. In Seneca
Falls, the retirees did slide over as debt service. This is a determination of the Town
Board. They do not have to honor this.
Ms. Smith also commented the Town of Seneca Falls
receives $3,000,000 a year from the landfill, which lowers the tax rate.
A key point, in every village dissolution, is getting
the town to decide which services it will provide on a townwide basis once the
village is dissolved, and then identifying those village services that will be
eliminated or will be financed via special districts created to encompass just
the boundaries of the former village.
The town needs to take part and make these determinations to avoid
confusion because once and if the village dissolves, it is the town that makes
all of the decisions.
Mayor Kleisle thanked Ms. Smith and Ms. Sowards for
coming to discuss their experience. She
also thanked Ryan Colvin for allowing them to come to speak to us.
Meeting
adjourned at 12:12 P.M.
____________________________________________
Denise Darcangelis, Clerk-Treasurer
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