The town of DeWitt approved its 2018 final budget this week, maintaining the same tax rate of $4.84 per $1,000 of assessed value as the town has had since 2016.
According to Supervisor Ed Michalenko, the total budget amount is $29,985,425 with $16,916,401 to be raised by taxes.
“The budget committee did a stellar job,” said Supervisor Ed Michalenko. “We’ve grown by less than one-and-a-half percent in our budget for the last 10 years, and we’ve met the New York state tax cap every year.”
Michalenko also said the town’s fund balance is “extremely healthy” and has “never been so sound.”
The Town of DeWitt 2018 final budget can viewed on the town website at townofdewitt.com/BudgetandLinks.aspx.
Also at the meeting, the board continued its work combatting against “zombie properties” within the town through the use of eminent domain.
Zombie properties are buildings that have been abandoned by the owner — typically after a foreclosure notice — and are left in the hands of banks until the foreclosure process is complete, which can take years. Often, these properties go into a state of disrepair and cause an eyesore and decreased property values in neighborhoods.
Late last year, Michalenko came up with a plan to acquire these zombie properties through eminent domain, then hand them over to the Greater Syracuse Lank Bank for restoration. The properties will then be sold to interested homeowners.
In February of this year, the town moved to acquire its first two zombie properties for acquisition and restoration — 102 Wellington Road and 5685 Thompson Road. Both properties ended up on the market and being sold after more than a decade of abandonment.
During the board’s Nov. 13 regular meeting, town attorney David Herkala presented the board a list of six additional zombie properties to be taken by the town through eminent domain. Those properties were:
•6005 Benedict Road
•103 Cutler Street
•33 Ely Drive
•5007 James Street
•535 Roby Ave
•33 Wexford Road
The board scheduled a public hearing for 7:05 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, at the town hall on the issue.
The board also cancelled its second meeting of December, which was scheduled for Dec. 25, Christmas Day, since it was on a holiday. Board members agreed that if they felt they needed a second meeting in the month of December they can schedule one as necessary.
