The Cazenovia Town Board Monday night unanimously approved the final 2018 town budget, which had the same tax rate as the preliminary budget, which was released in October.
The $3.3 million budget includes $1.5 million to be raised by taxes, a town tax rate of $1.46 per $1,000 of assessed value for town residents who live outside the village, and $1.31 per $1,000 of assessed value townwide. Those tax rates are different from the 2017 final town budget by only a penny in each category — a one cent increase townwide and a one cent decrease for residents outside the village.
“I think it was a good budget,” said Supervisor Bill Zupan. “We used the casino host community money [received from the county] to keep the budget flat, even with the increases in health insurance and workers’ compensation costs we still managed a flat tax rate.”
The board approved the budget after holding a public hearing on the document, during which no members of the public commented.
The budget is available for public viewing at the town office and on the town website at townofcazenovia.org.
Also at the board’s Nov. 6 regular monthly meeting, the body:
• Reminded residents that a special joint meeting with the town of Nelson board to discuss the proposed new water district on Route 20 is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at the Nelson Town Office building at 4085 Nelson Road.
• Authorized the town supervisor to contract with the Center for Governmental Research, Inc., to be the consultant for the proposed town/village consolidation process from Oct. 31, 2017 to May 31, 2018, at a cost of $22,960 billed quarterly.
• Approved the purchase of a new fire alarm system for the town office building at a cost not to exceed $7,000. The building’s current system was installed in 1982.
• Approved the expenditure of an additional $16,000 for construction materials to be used to complete the gazebo in New Woodstock Heritage Park. The town initially appropriated $12,000 for construction materials in 2016, but the project, which has been built by community volunteers, needed additional funds for completion, according to town records. The decision was made to purchase costlier materials that would last longer rather than cheaper materials that would require more yearly maintenance, according to the payment resolution.
