Mamaroneck Preliminary 2023
Budget Public Hearing Dominant Topic

By Stephen E. Lipken

Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney opened the Wednesday, December 7th Town Board Regular Meeting with a Public Hearing for Preliminary 2023 Town and Preliminary Fire District #1Budgets, noting that the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Joint Sanitation Commission Budget was passed. 

“On December 1st, I had the opportunity to speak at a Public Hearing for the Westchester County Budget.  I discussed funding needs from the County for our Town, specifically our Stormwater Drainage System to address flooding issues, acquire land for affordable housing and need for Sewer Consolidation, with County taking over this service,” Eney stated.

Eney then opened the Preliminary Budget Public Hearing, presented by Administrator Meredith Robson and Treasurer Tracy Yogman.  Town Goals and Budget Actions include capital road improvements and pool expansion; purchase of 3 “green” vehicles and grant request for Town-wide storm drainage study.

Another goal is to utilize a fund balance of $2.1 million for operations to reduce tax levy and fund balance of $3.4 million for capital projects for future year debt savings, plus increase investment for capital purchases/projects from $8.2 million to $10.2 million.  The tax rate decreased by 2.88%, despite a tax levy increase of 2.99%.

The Public Hearing was adjourned to December 19th when the Budget was passed.  

Another important subject was the NYS Volunteer Firefighter Cancer Program.  According to Eney, in 2019 the State mandated that municipalities with Volunteer Firefighters acquire life insurance to cover certain cancers, because they found a statistically higher percentage of cancers in firefighters than the general population.

“This mandated insurance covered certain types of cancers,” Eney said.  “A physical was required and the firefighters had to serve at least five years. We found that we could get insurance to cover all cancers with an additional premium of $2500.” The motion passed. 

Concluding the meeting, Town Attorney William Maker, Jr. reminded the public that December 7th marks the 81st anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,  bringing America into World War II.