NORWICH – A small handful of supervisors questioned portions of the proposed budget for operating Chenango County’s government in 2010 before the full board formally adopted it last Wednesday.
Next year’s fiscal plan will levy $22,843,933 on taxpayers. It proposes an average tax rate decrease and a tax levy increase of less than 1 percent. The estimated average countywide tax rate is $13.75.
Town of Plymouth Supervisor Jerry Kreiner was the only supervisor who voted against the spending plan. The Republican scrutinized why Stop DWI funds collected locally were being used within the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services division of the Mental Hygiene Services Department.
It wasn’t the first time that Kreiner has challenged how the county decides to spend the approximately $120,000 in revenues collected annually from drunk driving convictions. In January, he pointed to a number of discrepancies and potential legal violations in the process. Later in the year, he voted against applying funds to the purchase of a camera for a New York State police barracks.
Town of Smyrna Supervisor James B. Bays asked how the Pubic Safety Corrections Department planned to raise $450,000 from farming in prisoners next year. Revenues through Oct. 31 were only $71,000 compared to $1 million collected in 2008.
Finance Committee Chairman Lawrence Wilcox said Sheriff Ernest Cutting was “adamant” that the figure “was very reachable.”
“We questioned it, but he was very certain,” said Wilcox.
Town of Preston Supervisor Peter C. Flanagan suggested including fringe payouts in the salary line within the Corrections unit. He said the amount would show a “significant increase” in pension. County Treasurer William Evans confirmed that pension payouts had increased about 14 go 15 percent. Flanagan also questioned the amounts for overtime and training.