Wellsville Council Special Meeting

Monday – January 31: Wellsville Village Council held a special meeting this past Monday at 2 PM at Village Hall. Present at the meeting was Mayor Joe Surace, Council Members John McMahon, Randy Allmon, Tony Cataldo, Rosie Goss, Susan Haugh and Joe Soldano. Also attending was Acting Police Chief, Lt. Ed Wilson and Fiscal Officer Dale Davis.

The purpose of the meeting was to decide whether to proceed with filing the necessary paper work to place a police levy on the May Primary ballot and what amount to ask for. At a Special Meeting January 25 Council voted to request Certificates of Estimated Property Tax Revenue from the County Auditor for both a 1-mill and a 1.5 mill levy. The requested certificates were for informational purposes only. The filing deadline to place a levy on the ballot was Wednesday, February 2 at 4 PM.

The total tax valuation of Wellsville used by the County Auditor in calculating the estimated property tax revenue is $27,247,670. Yearly income for a 1-mill police levy would be $26,100. It would increase the taxes for the owner of a $40,000 home a total of $12.25 a year or 3 cents a day, $60,000 would be $18.38 a year or 5 cents a day, $80,000 would be $24.50 a year or 7 cents a day and $100,000 would be $30.63 a year or 8 cents a day.

Yearly income for a 1.5-mill levy would be $39,200. It would increase the taxes for the owner of a $40,000 home a total of $18.38 a year or 5 cents a day, $60,000 would be $27.56 a year or 8 cents a day, $80,000 would be $36.75 a year or 10 cents a day and $100,000 would be $45.94 a year or 13 cents a day.

For Monday's meeting Fiscal Officer Davis had prepared four versions of one resolution for Council to decide whether to ask for a five year levy or a never ending continuous levy for both millage amounts if it was decided to place a levy on the ballot. If a levy is approved for five years at the end of that period Council has the options to try to get it renewed, bringing in the same revenue or replace it, which would likely increase the revenue income based of property valuation five years from now. A continuous levy would bring in the same income revenue based on today's $27.2 million property valuation without an expiration.

Cataldo noted that he and fellow Council members had discussed the continuous levy prior to the meeting in the Caucus Room saying that property values are down. For 1-mill it's 3 cents a day based on a $40,000 home and it's a continuous levy which will never go away. Cataldo made a motion to put the 1-mill continuous levy on the ballot. It was seconded by Allmon. Soldano noted that the 1.5-mill would only cost 2 cents more a day on a $40,000 home which would generate more money and not hurt the residents that much. Soldano stated he doesn't know if the residents care about a half a mill if it's not going to do that much to them. Surace stated that even though he is not voting it was his impression too that it's not that much more. Cataldo responded that in his personal opinion he didn't to want to ask the voters for more if he could ask for less. Cataldo earlier stated that he was looking at two years down the road with the COPS Grant particularly in mind. A provision in the grant is that the Village will pay the salaries & benefits for the fourth year for the police officers hired with the grant money. Two officers were added to the force with that grant. At an earlier Council meeting Cataldo noted it cost $32,000 a year for wages & benefits for one officer.

Haugh said in her opinion if Council is going to ask the voters if they are going to approve a levy it might as well be a 1.5-mill. If it doesn't pass Council can go back to the drawing board to ask for a 1-mill to see if they are willing to do that. After the other Council members generally agreed they might as well go for the 1.5-mill Cataldo recinded his motion.

Allmon also recinded his second noting he does not know what the average valuation is for a house is in Wellsville. However he stated that for 50 cents a month the difference between the 1-mill and 1.5 mill is not that much. A 1-mill averages out to a $1.27/month increase and $1.91/month increase for 1.5-mill on a $50,000 home.

Cataldo then made the motion to adopt the resolution to place a 1.5-mill continuous levy on the ballot. It was seconded by Soldano. The ensuing vote had Cataldo & McMahon voting no. Davis noted with just a 4-2 vote it could only be placed on first reading. Haugh said Cataldo's & McMahon's vote was surprising adding she thought the whole purpose of the meeting was to get everything done in time to get it on the ballot. Not only was Council faced with a filing deadline the weather was threatening for the next couple of days. Cataldo said he don't agree with the 1.5. He agreed with the 1-mill.

Davis said Council could have second reading at Tuesday's regular meeting and third reading early on Wednesday to allow enough time to get to Lisbon to meet the filing deadline. When someone stated they could not attend Tuesday morning Cataldo asked to recind his vote and it was uncertain if that was permissible.

Davis then asked for a motion to table the resolution which he got and it was passed. He then asked for a motion to take it off the table which also passed. Then the resolution was once again voted on with a motion by Allmon and a second by Soldano to adopt under suspension of rules. In the discussion before the vote Cataldo said “that when it comes time to raise the sewage rates, on the residents, don't come complaining. We just vote on it. We put it on the residents. Here the voters vote on the 1.5 but you're going to have to raise the sewage rates down the road.” Haugh said she doesn't understand why sewage rates will have to be increased and Cataldo replied the Fiscal Officer told them "at the Sewage meeting we're not even making enough money over there to cover the rent with Earth Tech”. The last Sewage Committee meeting was January 6, 2011.

The vote to place the 1.5-mill continuous police levy on the May ballot passed unanimously the second time around. Council decided not to hold any discussion on the STAG funds and the meeting adjourned at 2:24 PM. The next scheduled meeting was Tuesday, February 1 at Village Hall.

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