The Council for the City of Corning, New York held its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Council Chambers, Civic Center Plaza, Corning, New York.
All Councilmembers attended the meeting except Mayor Boland and Councilmembers Clark and Muccini. Counting City of Corning employees, seventeen members of the public were in the audience. Deputy Mayor Hunt called the meeting to order in the absence of Mayor Boland.
New Business – Withdrawing the Resolution to Override of Tax Levy Limit
Without objection, the Council withdrew consideration of Local Law #1 of 2024 which would have authorized the Council to increase the tax levy over the limit set by New York State statute.
Background:
If, after completing all processes to adopt the budget, the Council decides to increase a property tax levy beyond the statutory level which is set by a formula contained in NYS General Municipal Law §3-c, it must adopt a local law to do so. The Council did not need to adopt Public Law #1 of 2024 because the FY 2025 budget does not increase the property tax levy beyond the statutory level.
New Business – Approving the FY 2025 budget.
The Council unanimously approved the FY 2025 budget for the City of Corning as follows:
Background: This compares to the FY 2024 budget which was:
The Council held a public hearing on the proposed FY 2025 budget on May 20, 2024. This was after it held three separate budget workshops - on May 9, May 13, and May 14, 2024. There were no members of the public present at any of the workshops or at the budget hearing.
Mayor Boland, who was not present for the vote at this meeting, previously made remarks for the record concerning the budget. Mayor Boland's comments were as follow:
I will not be present for the June 3rd City Council meeting.
So, I will not be casting a vote on this budget.
Given that, these remarks, which I submit for the record, are to express my strong support for this budget.
City Manager Ryckman has submitted a budget that keeps a tax increase modest, below the CPI, and below the tax cap.
The increases in water and sewer are necessary and modest, having not been raised in 7 years for Water and 10 years for Sewer.
The Budget reflects fiscal restraint and sound financial planning, continuing the City's strong financial position.
As was discussed during a prior budget workshop, I am hereby encouraging the City Manager to within this budget year begin a process of identifying our Human Relations requirements and needs, with the aim of presenting a solution to the City Council in the FY26 budget.
I would like to extend my compliments to the City Manager and Finance Director for their skill in putting this sound document in order. I'm certain there was an extra layer of challenge this time, given our new Finance Director's first time through the process.
Councilmembers Paterson, Telehany, Hyde, and Deputy Mayor Hunt all congratulated the City Manager, his staff, and the city’s department heads for creating a reasonable budget. The budget, they said, supports the level of city services which its residents deserve while at the same time dealing with the added burden of inflation and increased cost of healthcare; matters over which there is no local control.
New Business – Approving the FY 2025 Capital Plan
The Council unanimously approved the FY 2025 portion of the five-year Capital Improvement Plan proposed by the City Manager. Attached here is the entire five-year plan.
New Business – Approving Adjustments to Sewer Rates
The Council unanimously approved what had previously been Local Law #2 of 2024, now renumbered as Local Law #1 of 2024, which sets new and increased sewer rates.
Background: On May 20, 2024, the Council held a public hearing on the proposed increased rates. There were no public comments.
The city has not raised sewer rates in ten years. Effective July 1, 2024, the new rates will generate revenues sufficient to meet the maintenance and capital improvement costs needed to run the City’s sewer system.
Councilmembers Paterson, Telehany, and Deputy Mayor Hunt spoke in favor of the resolution, saying it is fiscally responsible to modestly increase sewer rates. Doing so enables the city to take care of the health and safety of the citizens of the city while building reserves to proactively deal with maintenance problems and operational improvements.
Background: The proposed new rates are here. Current rates are at https://ecode360.com/9939196#13503582
New Business – Approving Adjustments to Water Rates
The Council unanimously approved a new schedule of water rates effective July 1, 2024.
Background: The city has not increased water rates in seven years. The rate increases are to meet the operational, maintenance and capital needs of the City’s water system.
Background: The proposed new rates are:
New Business - the Council Unanimously:
Accepted a New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services grant for $196,000 to improve the Police Department’s Land Mobile Radio System.
Background: The city’s Police, Fire and Public Works radios are over 20 years old. Last year the Council authorized the purchase of a new console for the system to keep it running. This alone cost $125,000. The cost of these electronics has been rapidly escalating. Each portable radio now costs about $5,000.
Due to the efforts of the Chief of Police, the city received the gran,t accepted at this meeting, for $196,000 to replace the police department radios.
The city will continue to monitor the fire and public works departments radio situation and explore funding alternatives if they are available.
Accepted a New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services for Law Enforcement Technology Equipment grant for $195,000 to improve the Police Department’s surveillance cameras, drone program, license plate readers and related software.
The Council congratulated Chief Spaulding for her initiative in finding these two grants and her expertise in obtaining them.
Accepted a Federal Transportation Operating Assistance grant to enable TransDev (formerly First Transit Inc.) to run the Corning-Erwin Area Transit System. The grant is for reimbursement of eligible costs incurred from the period January 1, 2023, to March 31, 2029. The grant is in an amount not to exceed $734,165.
Visitor’s Comments
A member of the public complained that various Councilmembers did not respond to his telephone messages concerning a tree issue. He asked them, in future, to please call back. One telephone call, he said, will solve a lot of problems. He also wondered why he was unable to schedule a meeting with the City Manager after presenting at the City Manager’s office to request one. Mr. Ryckman said that he does not handle potholes and trees.
Joe Tobia, Steuben County Legislator representing the City of Corning, reported that:
The county is planning to enact a law addressing sticker stores. The Legislature is hoping to move fast on this once the County Attorney is satisfied with the proposed law’s language.
Sherriff Allard was able to obtain the use of a mobile theater. The theater gives dramatic presentations about the effects of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. As a former educator, Mr. Tobia feels that it will be a very good tool for reinforcing positive behaviors.
The 4-H Summer Showcase will be at Hendershot Haflingers in Cameron Mills, New York on July 25-28, 2024.
The Damin Family Farm in Prattsburgh will host Ag-in-the-Classroom later this week. The program sponsors expect that six hundred students will take part.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:49 p.m.
NOTES
The writer of this report has presented items in an order different than that in which they occurred at the meeting.
The writer has, except as specifically noted, amended, or eliminated comments and attribution for them. Unless quotation marks are used, the comments reported are not verbatim.
For brevity, the writer has not included all items on the agenda of the meeting.
Some material has been added by the writer for context or clarity and where it is extensive, is labeled “Background.”.
Comments