2011 budget workshop minutes
TRANSCRIPT
8/7/2019 2011 Budget Workshop Minutes
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2011-budget-workshop-minutes 1/3
DemsBudgetWorkshop
February26,2011
SummaryThemes
• MarketingoftheVillageandmaximizingwhatwehavetooffertovisitorsandthereforetolocal
businesses(e.g.,restaurants)
o Businessesthataremissing–especiallythosethatrelatetotheriver(e.g.,boatrental)
o Shuttleservicethatvillagecontractsforandmakesaccessible–couldbeusedbyvisitors
comingbytraintovisitCrotonLanding,CrotonPoint.
• Morebangforthebuck
o Collectivebargainingissues
o Pensionandhealthcareburdens
o Consolidation
o Lesssub-contractingandmorestaff-providedservices(contrarytothecommon
position)
Table1–Investmentsforthefuture
• Wrestledwithwhataninvestmentmeans-ideas
o Energyimprovements
o Purchasing/developingproperty
o Expansionoftheparkinglot
• MakeCrotonmoreofadestinationfor“tourists”
o Usetheriverfront
o Usethetrails
o Gotothedam
o JumpingoffpointforaccesstotheHudsonValley
Goodtrainstation
o ContractwithtransportationservicestocometoCrotono OpenCrotonresourcestomorethanCrotonresidents
• InterestingfactlearnedthatMetroNorthdoesnotpaytaxesorPILOT
o Buywaterfromusisonlyincome
• DPWGaragemovetoallowparkinglotexpansion
• EnergysavingsinVillagebuildings
o GeothermalforMunicipalBuilding
• CrotonPointAvenueimprovements
o $1.7milFederal/Countyavail–
o $300KVillagefundsrequiredtodeterminedetailsofplan
Couldthenscrapit
o PointmadethatVillageneedstocommunicateinformationouttoresidentsmore
effectively
Obstacletomakearecommendationonewayortheotherwaslackof
informationabouttheproject
Factsoftheprojectwerenotwellknown
“Idon’tknowthat”wascommon
8/7/2019 2011 Budget Workshop Minutes
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Table2–CutCosts
• Recognizingpercentonemployeecosts–waytoimpact
o Futurenegotiationsbringinchanges
o Pensioncosts–raiseageforpayoutfornewemployees
o Joiningwithothercommunitiestobargainwithcertainunionsonamulti-townbasis
o Conceptofpensionbenefitsshiftingfromguaranteedpayouttocontributionwithout
definedpayout(definedbenefitasopposedtodefinedcontribution)
ProbablyrequiresStatelegislation
OntheagendaforupcomingtriptoAlbanybyLeo/Ann
• Couldwegetmoreproductivityoutofcurrentstafftoavoidoutsidecontractors?
o Streetpaving,asanexample
• Parks&Recreationissubstantialpartofbudget(8%)
o Possibletargetforsavingcosts
o
ShouldwegetmoreoftheseservicesfromTownofCortlandt
Wepayintothefund TownCommunityCenterplacementintheVillage?
• Sharedservices
o Challengestofindrealsavingsratherthanshiftingfromonetaxsourcetoanother
• LaborCostanalysis
o Thoughtabout$10milfor80people–avg$125K/each
o However,littleimpactpossibleexcepttoreduceheadcountwithoutcollective
bargainingimpact
• PracticeinVillageisforannualsalaryincreasesfornon-unionemployees
o Currentfactisnoraisesfor2years
Table3–ImprovingRevenues• Trainusageupwithpriceofgasgoingup–capitalizeonthatforVillage
• Useofplayingfields–chargefee
• Combiningcostswithothervillages/towns
o Muchgoingonnow
• Freezehiring
• Improveourstores
o Breakupcurrentavailableretailspaceintosmallerunitsforhomeoffice/smalloffice
o Bringinginnewbusinessescanmakecommunitymoreappealing
MaybecosttoVillagetodevelopbusinesses
• Timenotmoney
Canraisepropertyvalues
Cangeneratemoresalestax,etc.thatcometoVillage• Walkability
o Pleasantvillegottherejusttowalkaroundbecauseitenablesdoingerrandsinacentral
location.
• Emptybuildings
o Gainrevenuebyaddingvacancytax
• Filming!ThenewHollywood
• Morerevenuebyanticipatinggrowthintheparkinglot
8/7/2019 2011 Budget Workshop Minutes
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• “KatzProperty”sale
• MoreaggressivemarketingofCroton(alsoraisedinRevenuesection)
• Salestaxcollectionfromhomebasedbusinesses
o ReallyajobforNYSDTF
OtherIdeas
• TrainshuttleoptionstomakeitevenmoredesirabletolivehereandcommutetoNYC
• Pensioncostsshouldgodownasinvestmentsimproveandmaymitigatecurrentdesireto
reducethepensions
o Changesmustbenegotiatedbasedongivingaswellasgetting
o Changesaffectnewemployeesbutcannotchangein-placeterms
o 20years/outwasdevelopedyearsago,beforepeoplelivedto80+years
o Mustbeclearthatbothsideshaveaself-interest
• Difficultyincuttingcostsnotalwaysunderstoodbythosewhoarenotfamiliarwithmandates,
contracts,etc.thatlimitabilityofelectedofficialstoact.
• Villageshouldre-implementthepaperNewsletter.