By AMANDA HOFFMANN
The budget, which was passed unanimously, increased about $80,000 from last year.
Homeowners will see a slight tax increase — approximately $22 — for a total tax bill of nearly $300 for the average Island Park home, which the Nassau County Property Assessor's Office valued at $440,800.
The budget includes a $36,512 increase in wages for the village's 13 full time and 17 part time employees, which includes the mayor and four-member board of trustees. The village's largest cost is employee salaries and benefits which account for nearly 43 percent of the budget at $1.5 million.
The cost of the village fire department will increase about $20,000, to $485,066 and the expense of maintaining the village, which includes snow removal, general repairs, beach and street cleaning and garbage removal, will rise $10,000 to $390,500. The increase in maintenance fees stems, Mayor Jim Ruzicka said, from an increase in fees the Town of Hempstead charges the village for garbage disposal.
Island Park is expects to receive $215,000 in state aid, a decrease of $58,732 from the current year. Estimated revenue totals will decrease by $21,746. The village will receive $60,000 in federal highway aid, an increase of $28,000, for road work the village does, like replacing drain boxes and bulkhead repair.
Also at the meeting, Ruzicka said the village was going to move ahead with repairs to Deal Road, which will be funded by a $250,000 grant secured last August. The repairs will fix flooding issues and repave the road, which runs about 1,000 feet.
Ruzicka said that while the village was still holding out hope for a promised $125,000 grant to expand the project to include repairing damaged curbs and sidewalks where Suffolk Road meets Deal Road, the money is still being held by the state Department of Transportation, pending a review of the project.
The village authorized Ruzicka to hire Dvirka and Bartilucci Consulting Engineers to conduct an engineering study of Suffolk Road, meanwhile Ruzicka said the village is moving ahead to begin the Deal Road repairs.
The village also voted to hire Robert Trice, who will replace Robert Wells as a Code Enforcement Officer, at a rate of $13 hourly.
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