Village of Oxford approves budget in closed meeting
OXFORD - The Village of Oxford approved its annual budget last month following a meeting that was closed to the public, with an overall decrease in budgeted amount due to the removal of its school resource officer position.
The village has continued to have meetings but has barred all members of the public and even village personnel from attending. The village creates minutes of the meetings and publishes them online. The most current minutes are from April 14, 2020.
When asked about the meeting and other board meetings village representatives said members of the public were not allowed to attend due to the coronavirus, and that there was a limit of four village board members who were able to attend the meetings in person.
According to a document from the Village of Oxford, the 2021 budget consists of $1,703,000, a decrease of $75,750 from last year’s budget. The budget includes increased prices for both water and sewage usage, along with a two percent increase in the tax rate and a raise for elected officials.
Village of Oxford Mayor Terry Stark said that changes to the budget may become necessary if sales tax revenue or other sources of revenue will be greatly impacted by the coronavirus.
“We understood that we have limitations of resources, we’ve stayed within the tax levy cap, but because of this COVID, I’m going to have the village board in conjunction with our departments come up with a plan for the future,” said Stark. “We’re discussing in small group meetings that are no more than four people in a room on what we should do.”
“I’m going to have a contingency plan for COVID, because I’m worried that sales tax revenues, property taxes, and court fees may change.”
Stark said if there are changes to the budget, Oxford residents can expect that they won’t be anything major, and that the $80,000 deduction in this year’s general fund can be contributed towards the removal of the school resource officer position.
“The difference was that there used to be an SRO on our payroll that the school paid for, but the school had some financial concerns and that position was removed,” he said.
The village document shows that $1,132,000 was designated to a general fund, $331,000 for a sewer fund, and $240,000 for a water fund. The annual salary for the mayor position is now $5,800, which is an increase of $200, and the annual salary of each of the four trustees is $2,900, a $100 increase for each trustee, and that all changes retroactively occurred on April 1.
There were a number of rate increases for services in the budget as well, and Stark said these rate increases were created to help fund a capital project reserve balance for future years.
“We’re trying to establish a better funded capital reserve,” said Stark. “We just finished a capital project with our water treatment plant, and we’ve got a major water project in the next year or so.”
“The village has to come up with a million dollars for the project, and we’re hoping this will help build that fund slowly instead of bringing it up last minute to our residents.”
The document states that residential quarterly base water rate increased 15.4 percent, from $52 to $60.
Base Water rate outside the village increased 14.8 percent, from $54 to $62. The excess rate increased from $5.50 per 1,000 gallons to $5.75 inside the village.
The Town Water District rate increased from $5.50 to $5.75 per 1,000 gallons outside the village.
Additional base unit charges remained at 50 percent of quarterly base rate. The excess rate increased from $5.70 to $5.95 per 1,000 gallons. Additional base unit charges remained at 50 percent of quarterly base rate.
Similar rate increases can be seen in the sewer rates for the Village of Oxford as well.
Residential quarterly base sewer rate increased from $53.00 to $55.00.
The excess usage rate increased from $9.50 to $9.75 per 1,000 gallons, and the New York State Veteran’s Home at Oxford surcharge remains at 15 percent.
There is also an increase in quarterly base water rates to $60.00 per quarter within the village and to $62.00 per quarter outside the village and that bulk septage rates at the WWTP will remain at $.10 per gallon.
Those who are interested in viewing the budget for themselves may visit villageofoxfordny.com/assets/minutes-2020/4-14-20-Budget-Meeting.pdf for additional information.
The village has continued to have meetings but has barred all members of the public and even village personnel from attending. The village creates minutes of the meetings and publishes them online. The most current minutes are from April 14, 2020.
When asked about the meeting and other board meetings village representatives said members of the public were not allowed to attend due to the coronavirus, and that there was a limit of four village board members who were able to attend the meetings in person.
According to a document from the Village of Oxford, the 2021 budget consists of $1,703,000, a decrease of $75,750 from last year’s budget. The budget includes increased prices for both water and sewage usage, along with a two percent increase in the tax rate and a raise for elected officials.
Village of Oxford Mayor Terry Stark said that changes to the budget may become necessary if sales tax revenue or other sources of revenue will be greatly impacted by the coronavirus.
“We understood that we have limitations of resources, we’ve stayed within the tax levy cap, but because of this COVID, I’m going to have the village board in conjunction with our departments come up with a plan for the future,” said Stark. “We’re discussing in small group meetings that are no more than four people in a room on what we should do.”
“I’m going to have a contingency plan for COVID, because I’m worried that sales tax revenues, property taxes, and court fees may change.”
Stark said if there are changes to the budget, Oxford residents can expect that they won’t be anything major, and that the $80,000 deduction in this year’s general fund can be contributed towards the removal of the school resource officer position.
“The difference was that there used to be an SRO on our payroll that the school paid for, but the school had some financial concerns and that position was removed,” he said.
The village document shows that $1,132,000 was designated to a general fund, $331,000 for a sewer fund, and $240,000 for a water fund. The annual salary for the mayor position is now $5,800, which is an increase of $200, and the annual salary of each of the four trustees is $2,900, a $100 increase for each trustee, and that all changes retroactively occurred on April 1.
There were a number of rate increases for services in the budget as well, and Stark said these rate increases were created to help fund a capital project reserve balance for future years.
“We’re trying to establish a better funded capital reserve,” said Stark. “We just finished a capital project with our water treatment plant, and we’ve got a major water project in the next year or so.”
“The village has to come up with a million dollars for the project, and we’re hoping this will help build that fund slowly instead of bringing it up last minute to our residents.”
The document states that residential quarterly base water rate increased 15.4 percent, from $52 to $60.
Base Water rate outside the village increased 14.8 percent, from $54 to $62. The excess rate increased from $5.50 per 1,000 gallons to $5.75 inside the village.
The Town Water District rate increased from $5.50 to $5.75 per 1,000 gallons outside the village.
Additional base unit charges remained at 50 percent of quarterly base rate. The excess rate increased from $5.70 to $5.95 per 1,000 gallons. Additional base unit charges remained at 50 percent of quarterly base rate.
Similar rate increases can be seen in the sewer rates for the Village of Oxford as well.
Residential quarterly base sewer rate increased from $53.00 to $55.00.
The excess usage rate increased from $9.50 to $9.75 per 1,000 gallons, and the New York State Veteran’s Home at Oxford surcharge remains at 15 percent.
There is also an increase in quarterly base water rates to $60.00 per quarter within the village and to $62.00 per quarter outside the village and that bulk septage rates at the WWTP will remain at $.10 per gallon.
Those who are interested in viewing the budget for themselves may visit villageofoxfordny.com/assets/minutes-2020/4-14-20-Budget-Meeting.pdf for additional information.
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