Preston supervisor wins support for tipping fee increases, salary freeze
NORWICH – It was two long overdue wins Tuesday for Chenango County Supervisor Peter C. Flanagan.
At a meeting of the county board yesterday, the Preston supervisor finally persuaded his fellow lawmakers to raise landfill tipping fees by 25 cents a bag and $3 a ton – something for which he has unsuccessfully lobbied since 2004 – and to stall a proposal for 2 percent annual raises next year for non-unioned employees.
Flanagan has received more and more bi-partisan support on both efforts over the past couple of sessions, and only narrowly missed freezing salaries for supervisors after a weighted vote count last year at this time.
The annual discussion about 2012 pay increases isn’t finished, however. Yesterday’s debate included a lengthy executive session to discuss specific employees on the compensation schedule and a failed motion from Supervisor Richard Schlag, also a Democrat, to amend the raises to 1.5 percent. Schlag was successful last year in this very same effort, saying the debate only serves to “politicize” and “publicize” supervisors’ salaries.
Flanagan reiterated during the discussion that his intent was not to penalize the rank and file employees, but to lead from the top.
“... show a sacrifice whether it’s a token one or not,” he said.
The resolution to provide for 2 percent wage increases failed by only one vote. Schlag’s amendment failed by only three votes. The measure goes back to the Personnel Committee and will be brought before the board again in November.
New Berlin’s Ross Iannello, who is politically unaffiliated, supported Schlag’s motion. He said 2 and even 1.5 percent raises aren’t commensurate with the 4 and 4.5 percent increases Civil Service Employees Association employees have received of late.
“We can show ourselves being forthright, but you have to change the increases on the contracts. You can’t have people earning more than their directors,” he said.
Tipping fees have remained stagnant at $1.25 per bag and $55 per ton since 1997. Flanagan estimated that the expenses for providing recycling and landfill services have increased by more than $400,000 since then. He has also repeatedly argued that the landfill, when it was conceived in the early 1990s, was supposed to become a self-sustaining department with salaries and benefits for employees and operations’ costs taken from profits.
The county took in more than $1.76 million from recycling last year. Using figures collected from the Public Works Department, Flanagan estimated that if the same number of individuals and private garbage haulers continue to use the Norwich and Brisben transfer stations and the Pharsalia Landfill, the department could generate an additional $113,000 in the next two years.
County taxpayers currently subsidize recycling each year with $150,000 from the levy.
Only three supervisors, outgoing Chairman of the Board Richard B. Decker, R-N. Norwich; Finance Committee Chairman Lawrence Wilcox, R-Oxford; and outgoing Agriculture, Buildings and Grounds Chairman Robert D. Briggs, R-Afton, voted against raising the per bag rate to $1.50. Wilcox said he worried about the possibility of losing customers and revenue that is needed for Brisben Transfer station improvements.
Even though he is a Democrat like Flanagan, Finance Committee Vice Chairman Dennis Brown, D-Pharsalia, has not supported raising fees in the past. Characterizing himself as the most conservative member of the board, he said he would this time go against Wilcox and stick with his party.
“This will make a levy difference. Our options get limited as to where we can go to get relief for the levy,” he said.
The tipping fees were raised in two separate resolutions, with a weighted vote count taken on the per tonnage fee question. This time, the supervisors from Greene, Lincklaen and Norwich Wards 4-6 joined in the opposition. Lincklaen Supervisor Wayne Outwater agreed with Wilcox who said haulers were against the $2 increase and would drop their accounts with the county.
“I voted against raising it on the haulers ... all you have to do is lose a big hauler. You lose one or two and it’s a big hit,” he said.
The resolution passed by a majority, however, raising the per tonnage fee from $55 to $58. The current generator and hauler contracts wil be adjusted by $3 per ton upon their expiration to reflect said newly enacted tipping fees.
At a meeting of the county board yesterday, the Preston supervisor finally persuaded his fellow lawmakers to raise landfill tipping fees by 25 cents a bag and $3 a ton – something for which he has unsuccessfully lobbied since 2004 – and to stall a proposal for 2 percent annual raises next year for non-unioned employees.
Flanagan has received more and more bi-partisan support on both efforts over the past couple of sessions, and only narrowly missed freezing salaries for supervisors after a weighted vote count last year at this time.
The annual discussion about 2012 pay increases isn’t finished, however. Yesterday’s debate included a lengthy executive session to discuss specific employees on the compensation schedule and a failed motion from Supervisor Richard Schlag, also a Democrat, to amend the raises to 1.5 percent. Schlag was successful last year in this very same effort, saying the debate only serves to “politicize” and “publicize” supervisors’ salaries.
Flanagan reiterated during the discussion that his intent was not to penalize the rank and file employees, but to lead from the top.
“... show a sacrifice whether it’s a token one or not,” he said.
The resolution to provide for 2 percent wage increases failed by only one vote. Schlag’s amendment failed by only three votes. The measure goes back to the Personnel Committee and will be brought before the board again in November.
New Berlin’s Ross Iannello, who is politically unaffiliated, supported Schlag’s motion. He said 2 and even 1.5 percent raises aren’t commensurate with the 4 and 4.5 percent increases Civil Service Employees Association employees have received of late.
“We can show ourselves being forthright, but you have to change the increases on the contracts. You can’t have people earning more than their directors,” he said.
Tipping fees have remained stagnant at $1.25 per bag and $55 per ton since 1997. Flanagan estimated that the expenses for providing recycling and landfill services have increased by more than $400,000 since then. He has also repeatedly argued that the landfill, when it was conceived in the early 1990s, was supposed to become a self-sustaining department with salaries and benefits for employees and operations’ costs taken from profits.
The county took in more than $1.76 million from recycling last year. Using figures collected from the Public Works Department, Flanagan estimated that if the same number of individuals and private garbage haulers continue to use the Norwich and Brisben transfer stations and the Pharsalia Landfill, the department could generate an additional $113,000 in the next two years.
County taxpayers currently subsidize recycling each year with $150,000 from the levy.
Only three supervisors, outgoing Chairman of the Board Richard B. Decker, R-N. Norwich; Finance Committee Chairman Lawrence Wilcox, R-Oxford; and outgoing Agriculture, Buildings and Grounds Chairman Robert D. Briggs, R-Afton, voted against raising the per bag rate to $1.50. Wilcox said he worried about the possibility of losing customers and revenue that is needed for Brisben Transfer station improvements.
Even though he is a Democrat like Flanagan, Finance Committee Vice Chairman Dennis Brown, D-Pharsalia, has not supported raising fees in the past. Characterizing himself as the most conservative member of the board, he said he would this time go against Wilcox and stick with his party.
“This will make a levy difference. Our options get limited as to where we can go to get relief for the levy,” he said.
The tipping fees were raised in two separate resolutions, with a weighted vote count taken on the per tonnage fee question. This time, the supervisors from Greene, Lincklaen and Norwich Wards 4-6 joined in the opposition. Lincklaen Supervisor Wayne Outwater agreed with Wilcox who said haulers were against the $2 increase and would drop their accounts with the county.
“I voted against raising it on the haulers ... all you have to do is lose a big hauler. You lose one or two and it’s a big hit,” he said.
The resolution passed by a majority, however, raising the per tonnage fee from $55 to $58. The current generator and hauler contracts wil be adjusted by $3 per ton upon their expiration to reflect said newly enacted tipping fees.
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