Please take the time to read the Village of Munsey Park March 2018 update. The Board is preparing the budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Presented below is a financial snapshot of the Village, along with other important business. Our next meeting is April 11, 2018 at 7.30 pm. Warmest wishes to our residents celebrating the Easter and Passover holidays.
VILLAGE FINANCES: The proposed budget for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2019 was presented at the March meeting. The objective of the budget is to keep us fiscally sound while addressing needed improvements in infrastructure, maintenance and beautification. This proposed budget is meant to ensure we have a strong balance sheet if and when, we as a Village, decides to take on a major infrastructure capital improvement project, as well as be prepared for potential uncertainties. The proposed budget will be available on the Village website. Some key highlights:
• Our reserve fund is projected to be at about $1,500,000 at May 31, 2018.
• We are projected to run at a surplus of about $220,000 for the year ended May 31, 2018.
• Keeping property tax revenue flat and forecasting building improvement revenues to be consistent with the prior year when considering the amount of projects that have been put in front of BAC and scale.
• Our expenses for salaries and benefits, garbage and debt total about $1,200,000, representing 2/3 of our budget.
• Our garbage contract was renegotiated last year through the bidding process however represents a rise in costs of about 20% over the past 3 years.
• Our salaries and benefits have declined in the past couple of years due to retirements and less tenured employees.
• Included in the proposed budget is $50,000 of a contingency for possible overruns and or shortfalls.
• The budget includes $262,000 for road maintenance. With respect to roads, we will be working with our engineer to use the scaling map of roads and formulate a 5 year road improvement plan by road by year.
• The budget includes $233,000 for debt and interest which is set to be paid for 2021.
• The budget includes $30,000 for tree maintenance programs.
• The budget includes $20,000 for Village entryway beautification projects.
• The remainder of our budget is allocated to utilities and day-to-day expenses to running the Village.
GAS LINES UPGRADE: National Grid in collaboration with Asplundh Construction Co. will be upgrading the gas main along the north side of Park Avenue (east of Manhasset Woods Road) to Abbey Road, Burnham Place and Strickland Place. Work is expected to commence this week with the project concluding by the beginning of June. National Grid will schedule directly with each affected homeowner for hookup to the new gas lines resulting in interruption of service for one day. This may include the possibility of relocating gas meters to the outside of the home.
ROADS: In regards to the Hawthorne/North Eakins road improvement project, the survey work is still in progress. The three nor'easters prevented the surveyor from completing the work, but he will be there this week to finish, assuming the snow is gone. Accurate surveying of the road section cannot be done with any snow on the road shoulder. Meanwhile, the Engineer is in the process of preparing the bid books for the project, bids should be completed by the end of the month and bidding will commence shortly thereafter. Bids will presented to the Board in April or May and voted upon.
RADAR SPEED SIGNS: The Town of North Hempstead will be distributing radar speed signs paid for with state grants to Villages on the North Shore, including Munsey Park. The Village has been in contact with the Town to ensure our Village’s participation, when the signs become available.
VILLAGE COMMITTEES: Please welcome Joseph Williams to the BAC. He has lived in Manhasset since 2005, and in Munsey Park since 2012, with wife Colleen and their three daughters (11, 9 and 7) who are all students at Munsey Park Elementary School. Joe has been a Litigation Attorney for 25 years and was a former Assistant District Attorney. He currently maintains his own law practice in midtown Manhattan.
VILLAGE ARCHITECT: Please welcome Amy Urban as the new Village Architect. Amy is a New York State Registered Architect. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Bucknell University and a Master of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Amy will attend the Building Advisory Committee meetings along with the five committee members and the Village Building Inspector, Anthony DiProperzio. She will also work with the Village’s Zoning Board, Building Advisory committee, and the Building Inspector to review the building and zoning codes to propose revisions to help keep the character of the Village and ensure new construction does not overwhelm neighboring homes.
BOARD MEETINGS: Many residents have reached out to the Village regarding the timing of our monthly board meeting. Currently, the meetings are held in the evening at 7:30pm. There are many residents that cannot attend nightly board meetings because of the obligations they have in the evening and would like a more convenient time in the day, specifically in the early afternoon. The Board is looking into the possibility of having one board meeting (or several) during the day so that more residents may attend. We welcome your feedback on this issue.
ELECTION: On Tuesday, March 20th, the Village will hold elections for two Trustee positions and for Village Justice. The polling location will be at Munsey Park Village Hall from 12Noon until 9pm.
VOLUNTEERS: If any residents have a desire to get involved with the Village, please reach out to Mayor DeMento or any of the other Trustees.
NEXT MEETING: Our next meeting will be Wednesday, April 11 at 7:30pm.
For additional information please visit our website at www.Munseypark.org
Mayor Frank DeMento fdemento@munseypark.org
Deputy Mayor John Lippmann jlippmann@munseypark.org
Trustee Larry Ceriello lceriello@munseypark.org
Trustee Antonio D’Angelo adangelo@munseypark.org
Trustee Jennifer Noone jnoone@munseypark.org
