The Sag Harbor Village Board will hold a hearing on a proposed $15.04 million budget when it meets on Tuesday, April 11, at 6 p.m.
Although the budget calls for a hefty 11.5 percent spending increase, the tax rate will only rise by 1.32 percent, thanks to the use of reserve funds and other revenue.
Taxes are projected to rise to $2.7512 per $1,000 of assessed valuation from the current rate of $2.7153. Village Treasurer Tim Bullock said a homeowner can expect to see a $35.89 increase in their tax bill for each $1 million in valuation.
Earlier in March, the board debated a spending plan that included the wish lists of all department heads. Last week, Bullock presented a budget that trimmed $379,724 from that proposal.
Among the cuts were $65,000 from a proposed $130,000 reserve fund to purchase a new firetruck and $10,000 from a $20,000 requested reserve fund to purchase new air packs for firefighters. An additional $32,000 was cut from a budget line to help pay for a new fireboat because the village has received donations to offset that amount.
Bullock also said he had trimmed $27,000 in expected salaries for dock workers and $42,000 for boat equipment for the dockmaster’s boat because that funding had been included in the current year’s budget.
Among the other cuts were $42,889 in proposed retirement funding, $34,836 in proposed part-time salaries for paid ambulance personnel, and $26,200 for paving.
Although the board agreed to schedule a hearing on the budget, Trustee Tom Gardella said he had not had time to review the proposed reductions in emergency services spending and would like to do so before signing off on them.
He warned that the fire department needs a new ladder truck, which is expected to cost at least $1.5 million and that the cost of the engine alone is expected to spike by $100,000 when new federal emissions standards take effect later this year.
“We’ve been kicking the can down the road on certain things, especially this ladder truck,” Gardella said.
Fire Chief Kevin O’Brien, who also attended the meeting, said that a year ago the fire department received no increase in funding, and faced especially high inflation this year.
He added that the outlying districts of Noyac, Bay Point and North Haven bear the lion’s share of the fire department’s budget while half of the department’s calls originate in the village.
At the end of the meeting, the board accepted the resignation of Bullock, who plans to move out of state with his family later this spring. He will work full-time through the month and be available on a limited, remote basis for a transition period.
Stephen J. Kotz on Apr 5, 2023