Goshen Board of Finance
07/22/2026
Present: Chair Edward "Ned" Bixler, Paul Collins, Scott Tillmann, James P. Korner, Robert Layer (alternate), Selectman Seth Breakell.
Excused: Lorraine Lucas, Patrick J. Reilly Sr. (alternate).
The Goshen Board of Finance elevated one alternate member to a full seat, elected a new vice chairman and reviewed the town's year-end financial report during its July 22 regular meeting.
On a motion by James Korner, seconded by Scott Tillmann, the Board voted to fill the regular-member vacancy left by former Vice Chairman Robert Valentine's resignation by promoting Robert Layer, an alternate, to full membership. He was sworn in during the meeting.
The Board then voted on a motion by Korner seconded by Paul Collins to appoint a new alternate, Ashley Hall Daddona, to fill the resulting vacancy. She was sworn in and seated on a follow-up motion by Collins, seconded by Korner. On a motion by Korner, seconded by Collins, members elected Scott Tillmann as the new vice chairman following Valentine's departure from that role.
The Board approved the Tax Collector's report on a motion by Collins, seconded by Korner. First Selectman Seth Breakell reviewed the town's profit-and-loss statement with the board, fielding questions about a $38,000 miscellaneous income entry that was budgeted at $5,000. Breakell said he could not confirm the source but noted the town had sold a Public Works plow truck for about $20,000.
"I don't know for sure if it's in there or not, but I can find out,” he told the board.
Breakell flagged a $9,000 legal settlement filed under professional services. "I don't know if that's supposed to be booked there or not," said Breakell, adding the Board still needs to decide where the expense belongs.
He also noted an expected surplus within the town's Waste Removal and Education budgets by year's end.
Breakell said he moved funds to cover chip-seal budget overruns. "We talked last month about moving the TAR (Town Aid Road) funds to cover the overages on the chip seal, which I did last night at the selectmen's meeting," he said,
bringing that fund's balance to $59,166.
(Note: Under the State DOT’s Town Aid Road (TAR) program, grant payments are made each year to the State’s 169 towns and 4 boroughs, with no requirement for a local match.)
He also noted a $35,000 surplus tied to the Regional School District 20 MOU. The Board recommended holding off on the next payment to the district until an adjusted balance due is determined and due, rather than making an early payment of the higher, originally budgeted amount.
The Board then voted, on a motion by Collins seconded by Korner, to shift $12,000 from a Tree-Trimming line item to Town Hall Maintenance, to cover new window costs.
In other financial matters, Breakell said a Tyler Lake dam inspection will cost about $4,500, with the Army Corps of Engineers indicating a larger inspection to Woodridge Lake could cost nearly 10 times as much. "They told me to budget $40,000 for that, for probably next year," he said.
Breakell also reported the West Hyerdale bridge culvert was found in poor condition during an engineering reinspection, making it eligible for full State DOT funding for engineering, inspection, and permitting, with construction costs paid by the Town to be reimbursed later.
There was no old business, new business or correspondence.
The meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m.
