 |
| Search |
|
|
|
|
Taxes and Fees
At Monday evening’s meeting, the Lancaster Town Board unanimously approved several resolutions to amend the approved 2006 Budget to cover recent storm related expenditures.
In seeking clarification on thelanguage of the amendments, the writer first addressed resolutions eight, ten and twelve; purchases for emergency equipment related to the October 3rd storm. Supervisor Robert Giza was asked to confirm that the expenditures were to be paid through the Fund Balance (reserves) and that said purchases would have no impact on the 2007 proposed budget.
Giza replied that the funding would indeed come from the 2006 Fund Balance and that said spending would have no impact on the 2007 budget. Giza asserted that just like home budgets, there is usually unspent money from one allocation or another that can be used to cover unexpected expenses.
Resolution # 8
Police Fund
P599 Appropriated Fund Balance - $100,000
P960 Budget Appropriations - $100,000
P3120.220 Police – Passenger Vehicles - $100,000
This was for the purchase of three 4-wheel drives SUV’S. Some individual believe the money was ill spent on vehicles that are impractical for use outside of emergencies like the recent storm. Giza explained that in the storm there were not enough heavy-duty vehicles to get about. Some responders were using their own or borrowed vehicles.
“They are expensive to purchase and to operate and will only be used in inclement weather situations,” declared Giza. “They will not be used for normal patrol.”
Whereas some believe this was money ill spent, this writer believes such equipment is needed for like emergency situations, especially considering the shelf life of such vehicles is anywhere from 5-10 years, as they see little use. Homeowners spent and will spend added funds to prepare for same future emergencies that will impact them personally.
General Fund – Townwide
A599 Appropriated Fund Balance - $90,000
A960 Budget Appropriations - $90,000
A8510.225 Forestry & Comm. Beautification – Trucks & Equipment - $90,000
Resolution #10
General Fund – Townwide
A559 Appropriated Fund Balance - $26,000
A960 Budget Appropriations - $26,000
A8512.230 Forestry & Comm. Beautification - $26,000
This was for the purchase of a “chipper”.
Resolution #12
General Fund Townwide
A599 Appropriated Fund Balance - $50,000
A960 Budget Appropriations - $50,000
A8510.230 Forestry & Comm. Beaut. – Motorized equipment - $20,000
A8989-230 Other home and commercial equipment - $30,000
The purchase includes chain saws, pumps, generators, etc for tree removal, debris, etc.
Resolution #11
This resolution calls for budget transfers in the 2006 Adopted Budget for the purchase John Deere 624j Wheel Loader Cab to assist in removing trees and other debris resulting from the damage caused by the recent storm. The cost of the equipment is $140,569. Appropriating surplus highway and general town funds will cover the expenditure.
A total of $406,569 was spent to cover storm related emergency costs and costs associated with better preparing Lancaster for future disaster events. Supervisor Giza initially thought a lot of the aforementioned expenditures would be covered by FEMA, but that’s not going to happen.
Council member Dan Amatura informed the attendees that the storm was a learning experience for the town. They were not as well equipped and prepared to handle a disaster as they should have been. Some of the equipment will fill immediate needs and will be used to aid town residents when future emergencies arise. “We were pumping out basements as fast as we could using but the one pump we had available,” said Amatura.
Resolution #9
This resolution concerned amending the 2006 budget to reflect the revenues from the various grants awarded to the Town of Lancaster in 2006, a total of $205,616.
© Copyright 2008 by Speakupwny.com
Top of Page
|
|
|
Taxes and Fees
Latest Headlines
|
|
Web hosting By
www.olm1.com
Part of
www.onlinebuffalo.com
[where: 14206]
|