Syracuse council plans for next year Departments Want Larger Slice Of Budget
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - "So easy, I can't believe it," said Syracuse Town Council President Bill Cutter Friday after the Syracuse town council concluded its first of two budget meetings.
Department budgets discussed included street, fire, emergency medical service (EMS), police, animal control and dispatch. The council also discussed the budget for the cumulative fire fund and the law enforcement continuing education fund.
Utilities and Street Commissioner Kent Thielka proposed a 2001 budget increase of approximately 4.37 percent for the street department, or $22,975, for a total 2001 budget of $548,140.
The biggest increase for the street department is for the laborers account, which will increase by $11,850. Thielka said that increase is needed because "normally (clerk treasurer) Elgie (Tatman) has to put money in there at the end of the year."
After some discussion on one of the street department employees who also does work for the park department and clerk's office, the board directed Thielka to only budget for that employee for three months. The park department will budget him for eight months while the clerk's office will budget him for one month.
The budget for the fire department will increase by approximately 19.11 percent to $331,224. Of the approximate $53,000 increase, $51,000 is for the hiring of new additional firemen and their health insurance.
In addition, the town council voted to raise Fire Chief Larry Hunter's salary to $40,000 a year as well as Town Marshall Tom Perzanowski's salary. Both salaries are $400 per man more than than was originally budgeted.
Along with the fire department budget, the town council discussed the cumulative fire fund. The fund was approved at $10,000. Hunter said the money is set aside where "it's handy" in case of emergency. If it doesn't get used, it remains in the cumulative fund.
EMS' budget was approved at an increase of 42.38 percent to $128,284 from $90,098. The increase will be due to the hiring of a new full-time emergency medical technician (EMT).
While discussing the EMS, Cutter asked why Syracuse EMS never takes assignments. Tatman said they had to for Medicaid. Cutter said they should take assignments for everyone on Medicare.
After some discussion by the board in which the members agreed assignments for those on Medicare should be taken, Koble made a motion to accept assignments for those on Medicare, who qualify, for EMS service beginning immediately.
Perzanowki's budget request for the police department for 2001 was approved at approximately $696,746, an increase of $158,151, or 29.36 percent. However, that percentage decreases to 15.16 percent if Syracuse receives a grant to pay for two additional officers for the police department. The grant for 2001 would be for approximately $76,493.
Besides patrolmen salaries, other accounts which would increase if Syracuse gains two additional officers would include overtime, social security and health insurance.
If the town does not receive the grant for two additional officers, the budget will only increase by 12.13 percent ($65,308) to an estimated $603,903.
In addition, Perzanowski wants to lease three new vehicles for the next three years for the police department. Perzanowski would get a new vehicle, the K-9 unit would get a four-wheel drive Ford Explorer and the third vehicle would be for the administrative sergeant. The leasing of the three new vehicles would increase the new equipment account from $16,500 in 2000 to $28,800 in 2001.
When Koble asked if they needed three vehicles, Perzanowski said, "I think we do."
Councilman Paul Stoelting said with two new officers in the budget, overtime pay was increasing by approximately 50 percent. He said he thought one reason they were going to hire additional officers was to decrease overtime pay.
Perzanowski replied he hoped it would but through June 30 of this year, they had only 11 percent of overtime pay left in the budget.
"They've had more overtime than they ever had before," Tatman said.
Perzanowski said some of the overtime was due to police officers covering for dispatchers and one officer was at the academy for awhile. He also said with an increase of officers, there would be more arrests and thus more court dates.
The police law enforcement continuing education fund was also approved, at $5,000, the same as the request for 2000.
The dispatch department's budget will increase by approximately one-fourth for 2001. The increase, from $172,425 to $216,554, is due to the hiring of a new dispatcher and their health insurance.
Also increasing by almost one-fourth is the 2001 budget for animal control. In 2000, the budget was $15,875. In 2001, the council approved a budget of $19,550. Of the $3,675 increase, $2,925 is due to an increase in health insurance.
In other business, not related to the 2001 budget, the town council approved Perzanowski to purchase a portable radio for the animal control officer. Also approved was the purchase of three new hoses for the fire department for a total of $1,255.
Members of the Syracuse Town Council include Bill Cutter, Barbara Carwile, Paul Stoelting, Bill Hane and Carol Koble.
The second half of their budget workshop will be in the town hall July 17 at 7 p.m. Their next regular meeting in the town hall is at 7 p.m. July 18. [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - "So easy, I can't believe it," said Syracuse Town Council President Bill Cutter Friday after the Syracuse town council concluded its first of two budget meetings.
Department budgets discussed included street, fire, emergency medical service (EMS), police, animal control and dispatch. The council also discussed the budget for the cumulative fire fund and the law enforcement continuing education fund.
Utilities and Street Commissioner Kent Thielka proposed a 2001 budget increase of approximately 4.37 percent for the street department, or $22,975, for a total 2001 budget of $548,140.
The biggest increase for the street department is for the laborers account, which will increase by $11,850. Thielka said that increase is needed because "normally (clerk treasurer) Elgie (Tatman) has to put money in there at the end of the year."
After some discussion on one of the street department employees who also does work for the park department and clerk's office, the board directed Thielka to only budget for that employee for three months. The park department will budget him for eight months while the clerk's office will budget him for one month.
The budget for the fire department will increase by approximately 19.11 percent to $331,224. Of the approximate $53,000 increase, $51,000 is for the hiring of new additional firemen and their health insurance.
In addition, the town council voted to raise Fire Chief Larry Hunter's salary to $40,000 a year as well as Town Marshall Tom Perzanowski's salary. Both salaries are $400 per man more than than was originally budgeted.
Along with the fire department budget, the town council discussed the cumulative fire fund. The fund was approved at $10,000. Hunter said the money is set aside where "it's handy" in case of emergency. If it doesn't get used, it remains in the cumulative fund.
EMS' budget was approved at an increase of 42.38 percent to $128,284 from $90,098. The increase will be due to the hiring of a new full-time emergency medical technician (EMT).
While discussing the EMS, Cutter asked why Syracuse EMS never takes assignments. Tatman said they had to for Medicaid. Cutter said they should take assignments for everyone on Medicare.
After some discussion by the board in which the members agreed assignments for those on Medicare should be taken, Koble made a motion to accept assignments for those on Medicare, who qualify, for EMS service beginning immediately.
Perzanowki's budget request for the police department for 2001 was approved at approximately $696,746, an increase of $158,151, or 29.36 percent. However, that percentage decreases to 15.16 percent if Syracuse receives a grant to pay for two additional officers for the police department. The grant for 2001 would be for approximately $76,493.
Besides patrolmen salaries, other accounts which would increase if Syracuse gains two additional officers would include overtime, social security and health insurance.
If the town does not receive the grant for two additional officers, the budget will only increase by 12.13 percent ($65,308) to an estimated $603,903.
In addition, Perzanowski wants to lease three new vehicles for the next three years for the police department. Perzanowski would get a new vehicle, the K-9 unit would get a four-wheel drive Ford Explorer and the third vehicle would be for the administrative sergeant. The leasing of the three new vehicles would increase the new equipment account from $16,500 in 2000 to $28,800 in 2001.
When Koble asked if they needed three vehicles, Perzanowski said, "I think we do."
Councilman Paul Stoelting said with two new officers in the budget, overtime pay was increasing by approximately 50 percent. He said he thought one reason they were going to hire additional officers was to decrease overtime pay.
Perzanowski replied he hoped it would but through June 30 of this year, they had only 11 percent of overtime pay left in the budget.
"They've had more overtime than they ever had before," Tatman said.
Perzanowski said some of the overtime was due to police officers covering for dispatchers and one officer was at the academy for awhile. He also said with an increase of officers, there would be more arrests and thus more court dates.
The police law enforcement continuing education fund was also approved, at $5,000, the same as the request for 2000.
The dispatch department's budget will increase by approximately one-fourth for 2001. The increase, from $172,425 to $216,554, is due to the hiring of a new dispatcher and their health insurance.
Also increasing by almost one-fourth is the 2001 budget for animal control. In 2000, the budget was $15,875. In 2001, the council approved a budget of $19,550. Of the $3,675 increase, $2,925 is due to an increase in health insurance.
In other business, not related to the 2001 budget, the town council approved Perzanowski to purchase a portable radio for the animal control officer. Also approved was the purchase of three new hoses for the fire department for a total of $1,255.
Members of the Syracuse Town Council include Bill Cutter, Barbara Carwile, Paul Stoelting, Bill Hane and Carol Koble.
The second half of their budget workshop will be in the town hall July 17 at 7 p.m. Their next regular meeting in the town hall is at 7 p.m. July 18. [[In-content Ad]]