The taxpayer is a first priority

Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to the Village of Owego Taxpayers.

As you may have already surmised, 2016 was a long arduous and frustrating year for me, your Village Board, and probably yourself as well.

When elected to office we knew the Village’s financial management methods and procedures were in chaos and unreliable in many areas. What we did not, and could not know or anticipate was the extent and depth of the problems and the ensuing obstacles in getting them corrected.  

As much as we would like to wave the magic wand and make years’ of mismanagement disappear, it just does not work that way. So the hard work to resolution continues. But we are making headway into the finances’ management issues and barring any more unknowns or obstacles popping up we are looking for a final closure on them in mid-spring.

As I have discussed with you previously, there have been warnings to the past administration by some of the trustees, myself included, that the Village was heading towards collision with a financial brick wall with its policy of just adopting an “annual budget” without fully vetting it for accuracy and the long term commitments to be levied against you the taxpayers.  

Well folks, that financial brick wall is getting pretty damn close and I and most of the Board have been scrambling to avoid it. Past habits of just passing budgets that may not have been as accurate and reliable as presented to those past Boards set the shaky foundations for our current predicaments.

I have heard at times that the village will soon be bankrupt anyhow, so our financial chaos won’t matter.

Well, the law does not and will not allow for a Village to go bankrupt or into insolvency. The law looks at it very simply: a) cut services to stay within a sustainable budget, or b) raise taxes on the taxpayers to sustain the budget, or c) dissolve the village.

Those are the bottom line options. So if we cannot get our finances straightened out; under control and into a sustainable level, the Village will be left with two hard stark options: dissolve the Village or reach deep into the taxpayers’ pockets. I, and some on the Board are trying hard to avoid either of those options.

But there are some bright spots in our financial frustrations in that, with the exception of the OPD/PBA and some resistance at the central administrative office, most of the village departments and personnel are looking for ways to help the village get in a more stable and sustainable financial position as they know in the end it serves them as well as the Village.

I will close this letter with two brighter updates that are of value to you.

The first is the ongoing EDU struggle. We are making some inroads on it. The Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) is increasing taking in outside sewerage again, and is near being at the same level as it was before the major plant upgrade. That offsetting revenue is helping stabilize rates. It is fully anticipated that when Phase Two of the WWTP project is completed, the outside sewage capacity will start growing – further relieving the sewer rates even more.

The second is in regards to the Department of Public Works (DPW) proposed merger with the Town of Owego DPW. As noted in an earlier letter to you, regardless of how it was presented to the Village Board by the former Mayor, there was no true merger with the Town of Owego DPW. It would have simply relocated our DPW a mile or so outside of the Village’s core, which would have meant increased fuel and travel times for the Village DPW to do even their daily routines, which in turn meant more cost to the taxpayers.

After I and the current Board assumed authority we met with the New York State representatives; the Town of Owego representatives and their Architect / Engineering (A&E) firms where it was quickly determined that there was no benefit to the Village to relocate our DPW at the Town Hall out on Route 434. We served notice that we were not partnering with the Town on their 434 DPW project and petitioned for the Village’s share of the New York State Grant funding so the Village could relocate its DPW to an acceptable and secure site within the Village limits. New York State and the Town agreed to our petition.

The Village will receive its’ half of the grant funding, minus our share of the A&E fees spent up to the point of our notice of separation. The Village will receive approximately $3,000,000 – its share of the grant, to apply against the Village’s DPW project. We anticipate being able to accomplish the new DPW project, which will also house the central administration personnel for maintenance costs and personnel efficiencies, significantly under the ($3,000,000). Remaining funds are targeted towards rebuilding our infrastructures where we can.

So yes, 2016 was a frustrating year but as promised, we are making headway on your behalf. Albeit with more obstacles than was envisioned and not as fast as we had hoped, but we will persevere to ensure that the taxpayer is always a first priority.

Sincerely yours, 

Steven May

Village of Owego Mayor