The Greenburgh Town Board will hold a budgethearing on the proposed budgeton Wednesday night at 7:15 PM. The meeting is televised live on public access cable TV. Residents may phone in during the meeting if you can’t attend (993-1540). My proposed budgetis on our web site: www.greenburghny.com. The Town Board meeting will be archived on our web site so you can watch the meeting in its entirety in a few days –on demand.
The members of the Greenburgh Town Board discussed the budgetfor a number of hours on Tuesday. They are considering some additions to my proposed budgetwhich will increase spending. You are invited to attend the hearing and to ask questions or make comments. Among possible increases to the proposed budgetare:
1) Appropriating $30,000 for a libraryexpansion referendum that will be held in March. I would prefer a November referendum (no additional election costs). The Library Board is proposing a $20 million dollar libraryexpansion. More people will vote if the referendum is held in November –when there are town and county elections. Holding a referendum in November will provide residents with more time to review the proposed plans and to ask questions.
2) Adding 3 NEW EMPLOYEES to Sanitation Department ($246,858). There has been an increase in the number of dwelling units in the town in the last decade but there has not been an increase in the number of employees working in the Sanitation Department. Members of the Town Board also decided on Tuesday to change the garbage collection schedule in January. Garbage will be picked up twice a week—holiday or no holiday. Recycling of paper and plastics will take place every other week—one week paper, the other week plastics.
3) Adding full time Planner ($42,529) –who will also act as a Forestry Officer. I had recommended in my proposed budgetthat the position be part time—at least until our new tree law is adopted.
4) NEW system administrator at Police ($50,506).
Those are just some of the additions to the budget.
The Board is considering some cuts to my proposed budget—I disagree with some of the proposed cuts: ONE OF THE CUTS ----
1)WIFI in the parks --- I had proposed $3000 to WIFI two parks so that residents can bring their computers to our parks, take their families to the park with them and then do some work while their kids play. Many communities across the nation are providing wireless internet access in their parks to residents. I’d love to see the town on the cutting edge. $3000 is not a lot of money for this important quality of life enhancement.
For more information, please call me : 993-1540 or at home: 478-1219. PAUL FEINER
