FULTON – At the Fulton Common Council’s last meeting of the year last night, December 15, the council unanimously voted to approve the city’s 2021 budget, which calls for a slight decrease in taxes.
At the previous council meeting on December 1, Mayor Deana Michaels told the public she planned to further cut the budget by the time it would be voted on last night. Within the two weeks between meetings, that was accomplished.
“It was a very long, hard fought budget time and we worked collaboratively, we worked hard, and we made tough decisions,” Michaels said. “As I promised from the beginning we were going to do business differently, and I think this is a testament to that.”
The tax rate for this year was $20.498. The original 2021 budget presented December 1 had a tax rate of $20.640, an increase of $0.14 per $1000 assessed value. The final budget voted on last night has a tax rate of $20.472435, a slight decrease from 2020.
The city faced a number of challenges in creating the budget for the next fiscal year including, rising mandatory employer contributions to the New York State Retirement System, cost of health insurance, contractual union obligations, loss in state and federal aid, and a decrease in the total full assessed value of the city.
When presenting the December 1 budget, Michaels expressed her concern with the health insurance plan the city employees have, calling it the “Cadillac” of plans and made it a goal to get that cost down, among trimming the fat across all departments.
Last year the budget for the Hospital and Medical Insurance account for Employee Benefits was $3,172,784. At the December 1 meeting, that budget increased to $3,662,711. Between the time of the two meetings, $62,711 was cut, bringing it to an even $3,500,000.
Overall, the city was able to trim its appropriations by $71,193 within those two weeks to bring the tax rate down to a slight decrease.
The full updated budget can be found here.
Reflecting on her first year as mayor of Fulton, Michaels said it has been “one heck of a whirlwind year,” and that she is really proud of what the city has been able to accomplish with new leadership, a pandemic and existing fiscal struggles.
“[2020 is a year] for us to be proud of and it’s one for us to remember, and it’s certainly a year for all of us to learn,” Michaels said. “I’m proud of what we’ve done this year, but I know there’s still a lot of hard work and a lot of learning that needs to be done… It has been a pleasure to serve our city for a year. I am honored to be your mayor.”
Before the council voted on the budget, another public hearing was offered, but no one from the public spoke.
Also at last night’s meeting, the council unanimously voted to approve all items on the agenda. The agenda went as follows:
- The city gave a proclamation congratulating Red Baron Pizza for 50 years in business.
- The mayor read a remembrance for the late Alan Deline, who passed December 12.
- The 2021 budget resolutions for the General, Water, Sanitation, and Refuse and Garbage funds were all approved.
- Resolution directing the 2021 General Tax Levy in the amount of $6,797,475 was approved
- Minutes for the December 1 meeting were approved.
- The City Clerk’s report for November 2020 in the amount of $3,063 was approved and placed on file.
- A resolution to write off uncollectible ater, sewer, and refuse and garbage charges for city-owned properties acquired through foreclosure in the amount of $4,035.61 was approved.
- Parks and Recreation Director Chris Waldron was approved to sign a lease agreement with Oswego County Opportunities for the use of space in the Municipal Building for the purpose of their Senior Nutrition Program.
- Mayor Michaels reappointed Larry Curreri, Fred Lunn, and Gary Stanard to the Electrical Board with the expiration date of December 5, 2023.
- Mayor Michaels reappointed Marissa Hanlon to the Zoning Board of Appeals with the expiration date of August 28, 2023.
- The council approved to reappoint Sue Fiorini to the Board of Assessment and Review, set to expire September 30, 2025.
- The council approved the contracts for the Police and Fire chiefs. Police Chief Craig Westbrook’s contract is through December 31, 2023. Fire Chief Shane Laws’ contract is through December 31, 2022.
- Commissioner of Public Works CJ Smith was authorized to buy rock salt from time to time for the 2020-2021 winter season.
- Mayor Michaels was authorized to sign contracts with LMC Industrial and Honeywell Building Solutions.
The agenda for last night’s meeting and its accompanying documents can be found here.
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