Gale Neale

The Town Board meeting included discussions concerning a revised request from Rally New York to hold their entire rally event in Walton between April 15 and April 18, 2010, which generated significant public comment regarding potential economic benefits, road closures, and past damages. Following floor time, the board addressed departmental reports, including the sale of a surplus truck and personnel matters such as the resignation of the Town Historian. Key administrative actions included authorizing Supervisor Dolph and Councilman Govern to attend training sessions, approving two Delaware Opportunities Small Cities Block Grant vouchers, and approving payment for general and highway bills. The session concluded with an executive session regarding contract negotiations with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection.

A public hearing was conducted regarding the preliminary budget. The Supervisor presented that the budget reflected a total increase of 0.77%, translating to a tax increase of $1.24 for a residence assessed at $40,000. A resident questioned the breakdown of town tax revenue allocation between village and town expenses and the respective tax rates for village versus town residents. The Supervisor clarified the fund allocations and explained that, technically, village residents pay two portions of the town tax while town residents pay four portions.

The proceedings included a Public Hearing regarding the Preliminary 2012 Town of Walton Budget, where a resident questioned the proposed 2% raise and requested a breakdown of justice salaries. The Board subsequently closed the hearing and adopted the 2012 Town Budget after rescinding the proposed 2% pay increases for most positions, excluding the Town Clerk, Court Clerk, and Highway Superintendent. Key resolutions involved opening a Highway Reserve Account for Hydro-seeder rental revenue maintenance and authorizing participation in the Crown Castle direct deposit rent payment program. The Highway Superintendent reported on the completion of Fish Hollow Road and the receipt of funds from surplus equipment sales. The Board also adopted a resolution to allocate portions of the New York City Land Acquisition Program funds for Flood Mitigation Watershed Affairs, emphasizing the need to prioritize flood mitigation over land acquisition for water quality improvements. Finally, the Board appointed Thurston VanLoan to the Board of Assessment Review and approved the payment of outstanding vouchers across several funds.

Key discussions during the meeting centered on the proposed abandonment of East Oxbow Hollow Road, where the Superintendent suggested compensating landowners with a snow blower, although the Board did not favor this approach. The Board expressed general support for replacing two bridges, one on Budine Road and one on South River Road, estimated at over $379,000.00 each, to bring them up to current codes. A safety concern regarding a contractor on Feak Hollow Road lacking proper flagging or cones was raised. The meeting included an executive session to discuss Union Contract negotiations. Finally, the Board approved the payment of presented vouchers totaling $621,061.16 for Disaster Recovery H.

Key discussions included the presentation of proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance regarding wind towers, requiring a tentative public workshop scheduled for March 2008. The Board reviewed a proposal from the Dog Control Officer for mandatory kennel licenses, directing it to the Planning Board for review. A correction was issued regarding statements about electric lines for the cell tower crossing village water lines. The Highway Superintendent provided updates on stormwater projects, FEMA reimbursements (still awaiting approximately $3 million), and plans to bid out stone and sluice pipes. The Board authorized the disposal of obsolete records, approved a one-year loan to the Walton Fire District due to a tax levy clerical error, and accepted the 2007 Final Budget Amendments. Personnel matters included renewing the Town's insurance policy, adopting a new health insurance proposal for union negotiations, and awarding the bid for a 10-wheel tandem truck contingent upon state bid comparison. Finally, the Board granted permission to enter into a contract with C&S Engineers for the Murphy Hill Road project finalization and approved signing an Estoppel Certificate for JNS Enterprises.