The Old Westbury Board of Trustees on Monday approved the village’s general fund budget with a $956,804 deficit but no tax increases, Trustee Edward Novick said.
Despite the deficit in the $15,243,519 general fund budget, Novick said the village’s larger-than-expected surplus in the current year will almost erase the deficit.
“Last year, we had a budget where we projected a surplus of $2,168,” Novick said. “That projection was conservative; we ultimately generated a surplus of $819,936. As a result, that gives us the ability as we go into next year to continue along our agenda of capital improvement of roads, water infrastructure and tree plantings while continuing to improve the services and overall aesthetics of the village.”
Novick said the village’s water fund also generated a $20,775 surplus to help counteract the deficit.
For the second consecutive year, Novick said, the village will not increase taxes.
“It is a very conservative budget from the standpoint of last year where we projected a very modest surplus,” Novick said. “We significantly outperformed, and I expect we will continue to outperform, even with the reduction in the overall valuation of property.”
The general fund budget includes $10,131,219 in property tax revenue as well as a $500,000 transfer from the water fund.
Budgetary expenses include $6,242,600 for Old Westbury’s police services, $1.2 million for contracted fire services, $213,000 for street maintenance, $20,000 for Village Hall landscaping, $4,212,710 for retirement and benefit packages and a $650,000 transfer to the capital fund.
In other business, trustees approved a special permit renewal for the Bethel United Pentecostal Church on Jericho Turnpike. Village Attorney Michael Sahn said the board has been renewing the application every three years since the church was approved.
Trustees continued a public hearing to approve Long Island University’s special use permit for a green parking lot. Mayor Fred Carillo said the approval would be on hold until trustees could inspect the lot.
Trustees also approved the installation of smart water meters throughout the village at a fee not to exceed $180,000 for the installation labor. Carillo said the meters are an expansion of a pilot program started in the village last summer, which allows residents and officials to monitor water usage electronically, avoiding transcription errors and allowing residents to check on their homes while on vacation through a cellphone application or website.
Trustees also unanimously approved the Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns events for 2018 and 2019 at Old Westbury Gardens but will require a $20,000 fee for each year to offset costs and expenses to supervise the event, Carillo said.
Acting as the Board of Assessors, trustees unanimously denied tax exemption applications for two Rock Community Church locations at 15 Mansion Drive and 174 Post Road and approved the New York Institute of Technology application for the Northern Boulevard campus.
Trustees also approved small claims assessment adjustments for 15 residents, including $164.30 for Long Island Tax Reductions, $362.62 for P.T.R.C. Inc., $2,163.67 for four residents through Maidenbaum and Sternberg, $4,434.27 for two residents using Property Tax Adjusters Ltd., $2,932.27 for three residents through Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group, $2,796.66 for Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo and Terrana, $3,802.60 for two residents through the Law Office of Robert G. Litt and $6,449.73 for Island Property Tax Reduction.
