The Williston Park village board is eyeing a $6,228,302 tentative budget, which would be a 2.1 percent increase from the 2017-18 budget.
The village is proposing a 3 percent tax levy increase, which is over the state’s 2 percent tax cap, said Mayor Paul Ehrbar.
Last year was the first time the board voted to adopt a budget within the state’s allowable tax cap in five years.
During Monday’s board meeting, the village board also voted to add a local law allowing the village to override the allowable tax levy limit.
The village board will vote on whether to adopt the budget on April 25.
The tentative budget includes a $26,276, or 6.53 percent, increase for the Fire Department; about $20,000 is for insurance and $6,000 for loan payments.
Also during the meeting, the members of Girl Scout Troop No. 1307 presented a plan to add dog waste stations in strategic locations in Williston Park using about $200 they have raised.
The girls discussed different waste system options varying in price ranges, to the village board on Monday night.
Three locations the girls suggested to put the stations were by the Williston Park pool, the corner of Willis Avenue and Hawthorne Street, and Kelleher Field by Syracuse Street.
The cheapest option would be installing dog waste bags without an additional bin or street pole. The cheaper price would allow the stations to be placed at all three locations, and possibly a fourth.
The middle price-range option would involve a street pole and bags, but not additional bin. The girls could afford about two or three of those systems.
The priciest option, with the bags, a pole and a bin, would only allow the girls to afford one or two stations.
The troop members present at the village meeting, Tess Shelley, Ariel Huang, Markella Vasaka, Mia Donnatin, Briana Wang and Olivia Jones, said they would prefer the first option so more stations could be added in the village.
Village officials said that the village likely has extra street sign poles that could be donated and used for the girl’s project.
The project is the troop’s Bronze Award project.
(Photo by Rebecca Klar)
The troop would be in charge of stocking the waste station bags for six months. The responsibility would then fall on the Department of Public Works.
Mayor Paul Ehrbar said he and the board are in favor of the project and the girls continuing with their plan.
The troop will meet again and discuss which option the girls would like to go forward with and will then present a formal proposition to the board.
In other business, Trustee Michael Uttaro said the board is looking to plan a Narcan training session for the village.
Uttaro said the board is looking to set a date sometime in August.
“No community is safe from this issue,” Uttaro said.
Trustee William O’Brien also invited residents to come out on Saturday for “Make a Difference Day.”
The village will be celebrating Earth Day by cleaning up the village for “what’s supposed to be spring,” O’Brien said.
Interested residents can meet in the Village Hall parking lot at 9 a.m.
The village will provide T-shirts, garbage bags and gloves. Residents are asked to bring rakes and shovels.
