Village of Russell Gardens trustees released their proposed 2016/17 budget Thursday, but Mayor Steve Kirschner said the village may not spend or receive all the money for which they budgeted.
“I always like to put a little bit more on because you never know,” Kirschner said at the Board of Trustees meeting. “I can tell you when I put a proposed budget, I try to think worst-case scenario on our expenses and worst-case scenario on our income so we never underestimate our expenses or overestimate our income.”
The budget calls for $1,955,748 in expenses for the fiscal year from March 1, 2016 to Feb. 28, 2017, up $15,489 from the 2015/16 budget.
In the proposed budget, the village will collect $1,559,748 in property taxes from residents, down $805 from the 2015/16 budget.
“If you haven’t done any work within your house, then in all likelihood, your real estate tax towards the village, and only the village that we’re talking about, not the school tax or the town tax, will probably be flat as it was last year,” Kirschner said.
The biggest increase in the budget is $100,000 in the “equipment” line, which Kirschner said was necessary because the village needs to purchase a new truck after using the same one for 12 years.
“These are not the type of trucks where you can go get a Ford F150 for $30,000-40,000,” he said. “These are heavy duty trucks that take tremendous amount of abuse and you’re looking at a six-figure expense at least. We have to anticipate that.”
Village Clerk-Treasurer Christine Blumberg said the truck is used by the Department of Public Works for snow plowing, leaf removal, and overall maintenance of the village.
Kirschner said $251,000 in the budget was allocated for the Russell Gardens Association as a payment for parkland and tennis courts.
The village voted to purchase the tennis courts in March 2013 from the homeowners group.
Kirschner also said the village included a $175,000 expense in the budget to re-do parts of the tennis courts.
“What the proposal now is we will keep the clay that’s there and put a new drainage system surrounding the tennis courts so we avoid the runoff on to Wensley Drive,” he said.
Kirschner said he sought a grant that would reimburse the village up to $150,000 for the tennis court repairs, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo needed to sign off on the grant.
The budget also included a $20,000 increase in expenses for new light reflective street signs.
Kirschner said the village could receive a $20,000 grant for the new signage from Nassau County, which wants light reflective signs to help drivers’ vision at night.
The board will vote on the budget at their next meeting on Jan. 7.
Also at the meeting, Kirschner introduced a new bill to extend a “no parking, standing, or stopping” zone on Merrivale Road.
Currently, the law restricts the zone on Merrivale Road from Northern Boulevard to Linford Road.
After resident outcry, Kirschner said, the board drafted the new bill to extend the zone from Northern Boulevard to Melbourne Road.
The bill, if passed, would create a “limited time parking” zone between Melbourne Road and Linford Road on Merrivale Road.
“Limited time parking” would be available from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. for a four-hour time period.
The board will vote on the proposed bill at the next meeting.
Also at the meeting, Kirschner announced the village would be closing Clint Road from Wensley Drive to the border of Thomaston for two weeks beginning Monday, Dec. 7.
He said the road would be closed for repairs.
