Fayetteville approves budget, talks cannabis law

VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – At its most recent meeting, the Fayetteville Board of Trustees voted in approval of the 2021-2022 budget prepared by the mayor’s office.
A few of the trustees took time out to thank the department heads who both helped Mayor Mark Olson and Village Clerk Lorie Corsette assemble the $6.3 million budget and assisted in providing “high-quality services” amidst hardships of the past year.
Fayetteville’s budget cycle starts in June and continues until the following May 31.
The total budget figure for the approaching fiscal year marks a 0.64% decrease compared to the 2020-2021 budget.
“We will work and make sure that we get the fiscal year closed out, and [we will] try to get everybody caught up on the projects that we need to get caught up financially so that we can start and use this budget as our footprint for next year,” Olson said.
The mayor was recorded giving an item-by-item rundown of the 2021-2022 budget for a 32-minute YouTube video titled “Mark Budget Podcast” that was posted on April 26 by the Village of Fayetteville account. The explanatory video—the fulfillment of an idea suggested by a village resident—has also been featured under the “Village News” section on the Fayetteville website’s homepage.
Near the beginning of the present fiscal year, Olson said he asked not only for all budgets and all labor to be frozen but also for a hiring stoppage and zero expenditures other than utilities, gas, labor, insurance and whatever else was needed to run the village.
“Everything else was put on hold,” Olson said.
He said budget cuts and forgoing of pay increases allowed the village to keep from raising taxes and furthermore create a give-back program called Fayetteville Cares, while other programs and awarded grants can cover any additional wants.
“This is a year that we need to tighten our belt and tighten it even more than we normally do,” Olson said.
A link to the budget document can be found online as part of the sixth item on the April 26 Board of Trustees agenda.
During the meeting, the board also discussed recent state legislation regarding marijuana regulation and taxation.
The law gives New York towns and villages the authority to opt out of allowing retail dispensaries and on-site consumption establishments to operate within their boundaries.
So far, the Town of Manlius’ supervisor has convened with the three village mayors and the town’s police chief about how to approach the newly passed cannabis law. Local officials have also conferred with Senator John Mannion, Assemblyman Al Stirpe and the superintendents of both the Fayetteville-Manlius and East Syracuse Minoa school districts.
It was concluded that it was best for the community members to vote on it so that their voices on the matter are heard.
Olson said a local law would be drafted and discussed by the Fayetteville board at its next meeting, which is set for May 10. A public hearing and permissive referendum would then be separately scheduled.
Some considerations, such as the appropriate amount of dispensaries for the community or the results of one entity in town opting out and not another, will be further considered in the near future according to members of the board.
The April 26 board meeting can be viewed on the village’s website, fayettevilleny.gov, after clicking on “Livestream Links.”