By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
Finances dominated the discussion at the New Washington Village Council Monday night, as a tax report was heard, several purchases were approved, and a large fund transfer was given the rubber stamp.
Pattie Krebs was in attendance to give her quarterly tax report, and she had good news. Krebs reported that the Village has so far collected $85,431 in tax revenue, and this represents an increase of $13,152 over the same time last year. Much of this can be attributed to a large corporate tax that was finally collected. Last year the village brought in $303,490, and that $300k mark is really the minimum target. The best year ever was the $334,316 collected in 2007, but the Village hopes to keep surpassing the $300,000 threshold.
Village Administrator Norm Lucius brought before council prices for a new tractor and snow plow unit. He had prices on three units, ranging from $16,500 to $18,500, but his preference was for a machine coming in at $17,500. This machine is would lend itself to a wide number of uses for the Village, but Lucius had only budgeted $15,000 for its purchase. The shortfall in his estimate stemmed largely from the fact that when he was pricing machines a year ago, he was looking at smaller machines that were not power-steering capable. Power steering will be a near-essential for the snow plowing that takes place along the sidewalks of downtown, and Lucius also reported that this machine is a diesel engine which would save fuel costs when compared with the gasoline machines he had been pricing. Council gave its approval for the additional $,2500.
Also given the final approval was the purchase of the new Christmas decorations for the street lights. After in-depth research, involving Lucius and Council Members Paul Forster and Scott Hiler, 12 five-foot diamond snowflakes were approved. These decorations are all white lights, and they will fit the current brackets and hook-ups that the Village already owns. The cost will be $3,108 for the stars themselves and $300 for shipping.
Last year, the Village closed the Water Operations and Water Capital Improvement Funds with the sale of the property to Cliff Alt. The money from those funds had been added to the General Fund. The Village also received money from the Syngenta Lawsuit, which had been added to the General Fund. These three sums total $150,000 and it was proposed that they be moved from the General Fund to the Capital Improvements Fund, so as to prevent them being used on continuing expenses. After some discussion about whether this was the best course of action, Council followed the recommendation of Finance Committee Chairman Hiler ,and moved the entire sum to the Capital Improvements Fund.
Village Solicitor John Berger will send letters this week to the concerned parties in the tropical birds discussion. These letters will ask for feedback about establishing a mutually convenient meeting time. If no feedback is received a meeting time will be selected by the Village and the meeting will go ahead. Attendance is being extended to one representative from either side of the discussion, as well as Mayor Lash, Council President Joe Blum, Solicitor Berger, and Police Chief Scott Robertson.
“It is my hope that reason and logic can prevail,” Lash said.