Rockville Centre residents get first look at proposed village spending plan

Mayor Mary Bossart, the Board of Trustees and village administrators met for an ad hoc public briefing session at Village Hall on Feb. 15, and Comptroller Mike Schussheim updated them on the village’s financial health leading into the 2011-12 fiscal year, which begins on June 1.

Schussheim said he had hoped the current fiscal year would end with a show of strength, but to no one’s surprise, he told the trustees that the winter snowstorms had significantly impacted the budget. He said that $167,000 had originally been set aside for salt supplies, but he expected the total to come to about $217,000.

In addition, Schussheim said that outside contractors hired for snow removal took a heavy toll: Only $15,000 was originally budgeted for the assistance of outside contractors, but the village spent $160,000 for the services of three companies. This hit, he said, was “very hard” and “way above what was normally spent” in past years.

Looking ahead to 2011-12, Schussheim said he wanted to get the most out of the money available to the village, and he presented two separate budget scenarios that he said would help cut costs even as he indicated that rising expenses for the village’s portion of employee and police retirement system contributions, and its share of village employee health insurance premiums would present problems. (see charts).

In the first scenario, village taxes would increase by the same rate as they did this year, 5.82 percent. Schussheim recommended that the village reduce police retirement payouts from $350,000 to $175,000, which he said was feasible, since only two officers are expected to retire next year. He also suggested that police overtime costs be reduced by $100,000, from $725,000 to $625,000, and that the village cut $10,000 from its planned security system near the front entrance of police headquarters. These ideas, the comptroller said, were “doable … given all of the other pressures the village is under.”

Schussheim further recommended that funding for classes and programs at the Sandel Senior Center be reduced by 50 percent. To help increase village revenue, he suggested that the fees for residential parking permits, full-time employee permits, overnight permits and non-residential permits be increased for the first time in three years (see bottom chart). This would bring the village $115,000 in additional revenue, he said, as would a 5 percent increase in recreation and park fees, which would raise another $75,000.

The second budget scenario was discussed in a public session later in the evening, after an executive session that was not open to the public. It calls for more cost-cutting measures, including contract negotiations of salaries and benefits for village staff, according to a Rockville Centre spokesman. When combined with the cost savings in the first scenario, it would reduce the tax rate increase to 3.75 percent.

Village’s share of employee retirement contributions

Tier 2010 2011 2012

1 9.3% 15.3% 21.5%

2 8.6% 14.0% 19.7%

3 and 4 7.0% 11.3% 15.8%

5 NA NA 12.7%

Village’s share of police retirement contributions

Tier 2010 2011 2012

1 NO EMPLOYEES LEFT

2 14.4% 17.5% 21.2%

3 13.2% 16.5% 20.4%

Village parking fees

Current Proposed

price price

Residential $150 $173

Non-residential $215 $248

Full-time employee $163 $188

Overnight $158 $182

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