Village of Caledonia

Village keeps a lid on property taxes

Trustees restore library funding

By Sally Santora

For the County News

Property owners in the Village of Caledonia will not pay more in taxes next year as the board of trustees adopt a $1.3 million 2012 – 2013 budget that holds the tax levy and tax rate at last year’s amount.

The $874,488 levy to be collected from taxpayers results in the same tax rate of $8.95 per $1,000 of assessed property value as the current year.

The 2012–2013 budget includes $15,000 in funding for the Caledonia Library.

Last year’s village budget eliminated library funding altogether. That decision met with opposition that led the village board to restore $10,000 in funding to the Caledonia Library at the end of the 2010 budget.

Another cultural asset in Caledonia, the Big Springs Museum, is slated to receive a $500 funding increase for a total of $3,000 from the village.

The village is installing new street lights in the downtown area with a total price tag of $250,000, paid for over four years. The new energy-efficient lights replace the current light posts, which are expensive to operate. Several are also worn out to an unsafe condition.

The DPW will complete phase two of the resurfacing project on East Avenue this summer. The street has been plagued with pot holes and drainage problems in the past.

The DPW completed phase one of the project last summer.

Smaller expenditures for the coming year include the purchase of a pickup truck and a lawn mower; both are included in the budget.

Residents will continue to have curbside refuse and recycling picked up included in their village taxes. The board awarded a $176,000 per year contract to Waste Management for the service, a decrease of nearly $10,000 from the current contract.

Employees of the police and DPW departments, clerks and court employees, all received a 2.5 percent salary increases.

The village board will hold a public hearing on the budget April 2, 5:30 p.m., in the meeting room of the Caledonia Fire Hall.

In other business at the March 6 board meeting, the village received a $2,450 grant from the Justice Court Assistance Program. The funds will be used for new carpet and painting of the court room and offices.

In department reports, the Caledonia Police Department will sponsor a new recruit to the police academy. The police department is only the sponsoring agent; there is no hiring occurring in the police department.

The Code Enforcement Officer reported on properties in the village that are in violation; one on Maple Street, one on Church Street and an ongoing violation on Lehigh Street. The DEC will provide seedlings for schools and municipalities. Barry Ganzhorn is distributing them to Cal-Mum School.

Barry reported that MacKay Park will benefit from a photo contest being sponsored by Reflections Photography in the Masonic Temple. They will collaborate with high school students for the photo contest. Proceeds will benefit MacKay Park.

Chestnut Bay Quilt Shop is hosting a quilt show on July 28. The board approved a permit to hold the event.