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Friday, October 21, 2016
Vol. 76, No. 41
SIEMENS SEMIFINALISTS
Layoffs, retirements create savings in 2017 Town budget BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
Seven Jericho High School Science Research students were named Regional Semifinalists for the Siemens Competition. Pictured (L-R) are Jang Hun Choi, Serena Tam, Sandra Li, Grace Hu, Nathaniel Lee, Adam Pahlavan, Justin Kim and Jericho High School’s Science Research Coordinator Dr. Serena McCalla. See page 20. Photo by Denise Nash
Town awarded grant for ‘Zombie Homes’ BY GARY SIMEONE
The Town of Oyster Bay was part of sixteen communities across the Island that was awarded a state grant for the monitoring of so called ‘zombie houses.’ The State granted a total of $3.3 million for the abandoned and vacated properties which have not been foreclosed on by the banks. The zombie homes started to spread on Long Island after a tide of foreclosures stemming from the financial recession in 2007-2009. In a statement from New
York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, he said that awards of $350,000 will go to the Towns of Brookhaven, Huntington and Smithtown and that the Towns of Oyster Bay and Islip would each receive a grant of a little over $349,000. Other grants ranged from $152,000 for the Village of Freeport, $100,000 for the Village of Valley stream and $90,000 for the City of Glen Cove. “The grants will help municipalities enforce housing codes, monitor vacant homes and make sure local
lenders abide by local and state laws requiring them to maintain properties,” said the Attorney General. He added that zombie homes, “invite crime, threaten public safety and drive down the value of surrounding homes. The grants give communities the tools to eradicate them and to help families stay in their homes and not abandon them in the first place.” The grants are part of a statewide $13 million program funded from a $3.2 billion setSee page 20
At the Oyster Bay Town Board’s two public meetings held on Tuesday, October 18, the 2017 preliminary budget detailed $284.1 million of revenues and $284.1 million in expenses, overall a reduction of $5.5 million from the adopted 2016 Town of Oyster Bay budget of $289.6 million. The Board held two budget hearings on October 18, one at 10 am and the other in the evenings to residents who work during daytime could be present and ask questions. Town Board members will vote on budget adoption at their Tuesday, November 15 meeting at 10 am. With $700 million in debt to be addressed step-by-step, for 2017 the Town’s notable expense cuts have apparently created dramatic savings, as no town-run programs are proposed for elimination. The most striking aspect of the proposed budget stands as a 10 percent total reduction in full-time salaries, town-wide, by department. A total of $7.7 million dollars in annual expenses would be saved through layoffs included in the 2017 budget. According to the office of the Town Comptroller, the bulk of 2017 savings are projected to be in the form of layoffs. The 10 percent reduction does not mean that every town employee will have their salary cut by 10 percent. Rather the majority of Town of Oyster Bay employees will keep their jobs, but “necessary savings” will be achieved by laying off the number of employees needed to reach total salary figures projected in the 2017 preliminary budget. Eighty-eight Town of Oyster Bay employees are scheduled to retire for the coming year, and another 15 resignations were included in budget projections, adding up to a total of 103 combined civil service retirements that will generate savings of between nine and 10 million dollars for the 2017 budget. An existing retirement incentive for town employees was briefly mentioned at the Town Board’s October 18 morning session. In addition to layoffs, another $2 million in savings was explained: the Town projects a one million-dollar reduction in part-time and seasonal employee salaries and another one million-dollars’ reduction in professional services across town departments, from the funds traditionally allocated to outside consultants.
Advertising revenue questioned
Recurring revenues of $4.8 million from a tax increase within the state-mandated tax cap is projected by town officials. On the morning of October 18, new revenues for the Town of Oyster Bay in 2017 were outlined. One plan is for the rentals of town-owned facilities for events. A major undertaking is implementation of preferred parking permits for the Town’s LIRR parking lots. The office of the Comptroller says the Town expects that to bring in $750,000 in net revenues in 2017. Another $3,000 is budgeted by the Town for a two percent administrative fee to be paid by the buyer on a Golden Age Senior Housing resale. See page20
Syosset Rotary hosts Project Milo PAGE 12 JJC Sisterhood dinner, fashion show PAGE 7