Board of Finance: The Rising Costs of Trash, Cemetery Maintenance, and Camp Counselors

12/20/23

November’s meeting minutes were approved but Edward (Ned) Bixler and Patrick Reilly Sr. abstained since they were excused from the November meeting.

The Board reviewed financial reports submitted by Debbie Franklin for November 2023. Paul Collins questioned why there was a roughly $26,000 increase in waste removal this year. “July 23 to November 23, the coordinator got $838.35.,” Carusillo explained. “Carriage fees were $75,447.56. Recycling was $47,769.74 so a total of $124,000.” 2022’s total was $97,574.69 and Carusillo explained that tipping fees and recycling contracts automatically increased, as the source for 2023’s waste removal cost increased. Robert Valentine suggested they request a detailed Profit and Loss Statement be made to analyze the cost increases month to month. P&L Statements are financial reports that summarize revenues and expenses within a fiscal year. Reilly asked if changes were made to contracts to take care of town cemeteries due to costs nearly doubling from $2,565 in 2022 to $5,100 in 2023. Carusillo plans to “look into” this surge.

Recreation Director Erin Reilly requested to offer competitive wages in order to attract more employees, “In years past, 16- and 17-year-olds were paid stipends at the same rate as the 14 and 15 year olds. These stipends were $105 per week or less. That averages out to less than $3 per hour. We need to be able to entice these teens to want to work with us, especially since they are eligible to enter the workforce in a variety of locations that may offer luxuries such as air conditioning.” Carusillo suggested putting the wage increase in their budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Valentine suggested they charge out of town campers in order to help pay for camp services, “We should start to charge out of town campers appropriately for camp. Our taxpayers are subsidizing out of town campers… If they want an increase, I’m not opposed to it, but it should be offset by charging appropriately for out-of-town campers.” 

The Board reviewed Tax Collector Rebecca Juchert-Derungs’ November 2023 report.

Carusillo briefly discussed looking for a new way to deal with trash after the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) Dissolution Authority announced it will close nearby transfer stations in 2027. This was introduced during the Board of Selectmen meeting. Carusillo proposed a temporary solution to protect some equipment from outside elements amid developing needs assessment from the Goshen Fire Company and Public Works Department, “We could build a small facility behind Public Works to store the tractors, and the grader, and the excavators outside and they’ll be undercover away from the weather until we decide what we’re doing with that building.” He claimed there’s 35 to 40 feet available to construct such a facility. It’s estimated to cost around $30,000 to build out of trailers and concrete slabs. Carusillo then reported expected costs for 2024 Elections Moderators and Assistants. $1,205.76 will be spent for the four-day-long Presidential Primary in April while $4,521.60 will be spent for the 14-day-long November Election. Registrars will have their wages increased following a new budget passing in May, though no exact increase can be determined yet.

The board suggested each town department begin preparing their five-year capital budget for 2024-2025 fiscal year. Patrick Reilly suggested town employees receive some kind of pay increase in the next fiscal year.  Valentine countered this, saying there’s a payroll administration system in place to give people raises at appropriate times and stages, “It’s based on not what people may think that they need or want or should get, it’s based on what the marketplace is… We want to be fair to our employees.” The board is considering updating this payroll system in order to better address rising inflation costs.