government reorganization jan 2011
TRANSCRIPT
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Government ReorganizationVillage Dissolution Study, Plan and Alternatives
Sean M. Maguire, AICP
Northern NY Regional Representative
NYS Department of State
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Overview
Government Reorganization & Citizen
Empowerment Act
Dissolution Study, Plan and Alternatives
Overview
Components
Related Studies and Outcomes
Next Steps
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GOVERNMENT
REORGANIZATION &
CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT
ACT
Government Reorganization: Village Dissolution Study, Plan
and Alternatives
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Government Reorganization &
Citizen Empowerment Act Effective March 21, 2010
Amended State Statutes
Added General Municipal Law Article 17-A
Amended Municipal Home Rule Law
Amended Town Law
Amended Village Law
Amended Local Finance Law
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General Municipal Law Article 17-A
Replaces sections of Town and Village Law
regarding consolidation and dissolution.
Village Dissolution
Board Initiated
Voter Initiated
Allows board flexibility to set dates to
vote and implement. Sets a lower threshold for voter-initiated
dissolution.
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Board-Initiated Dissolution
Board develops a plan to present to voters.
May involve an initial study of options.
May involve a study committee.
Recommended Approach: Form a Study Committee
Develop Study of Existing Conditions and Costs
Develop Dissolution Plan Develop Alternatives Plan
Present Dissolution Plan to Voters
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Board-Initiated DissolutionProposed Dissolution Plan Adopted
Hearing Held
Proposed Plan
Amended
Process Ends
Final Plan
Approved
Referendum
Date Set
Special
District
Dissolved
ReferendumHeld
Referendum
Passes
Town/Village Dissolved
Referendum
Fails
Four Year Waiting Period
Day 1
Within 180 Days
Within 35 to 90 Days
Within 5 Days
Within 60 to 90 Days
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Voter-Initiated Dissolution
Petition Presented to Village Clerk.
Lesser of 10% of Voters in the Village or 5,000
signatures, or
20% of voters where there are 500 or fewerregistered voters.
Village Votes on Dissolution.
If Voters Approve Referendum, a Plan isDeveloped.
Plan Subject to Permissive Referendum.
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Petition Filed
Signatures Verified
Referendum Date Set
Referendum Held
Referendum Passes
Hearing Held
Petition Rejected
Appeal Possible
Referendum Fails
Four Year
Waiting
Period
Voter-Initiated Dissolution
Proposed Plan Amended
Final PlanApproved
Dissolution Occurs
Petitions Filed for
Permissive Referendum
Passes:
Dissolution Occurs Fails: No Dissolution
Proposed Plan Approved
Day 1
Within 180 Days
Within 30 Days
Within 60 to 90 days
Within 60 Days
Within 10 Days
Within 30 Days, Board Must Meet
Within 35 to 90 Days
Within 45 Days
Within 60 to 90 Days
After 45 Days
Within 30Days
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Outcomes
If Dissolution Referendum and Plan Passes:
Village is dissolved per plan
If Dissolution Referendum Fails:
Dissolution will not take effect. Dissolution process may not ne initiated for the
same purpose for four (4) years from the date of
the referendum.
If Dissolution Plan Permissive Referendum
Fails:
Dissolution will not take effect.
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DISSOLUTION STUDY,PLAN ANDALTERNATIVES
Government Reorganization: Village Dissolution Study, Plan
and Alternatives
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Recommended Dissolution Study
Department of State recommends adissolution study prior to presenting a
plan to voters.
The recommended study includes Dissolution Study (foundation)
Fiscal impact analysis
Dissolution Plan (option) Alternatives to Dissolution (option)
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Recommended Approach
Dissolution Study Examination of current operations and costs.
Develops cost estimates based on budget.
Provides a set of options to consider indeveloping a dissolution plan.
Dissolution Plan
Best options from the study, final estimated costand service impact to consider.
Alternatives to Dissolution
Strategy to improve position, reduce costs andimprove services if village is not dissolved.
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NYS DOS Resources
Government
Reorganization and
Citizen Empowerment
Act
Complete Guide
Summary of the Process
The Citizens Guide to
Petitioning for LocalGovernment
Consolidation or
Dissolution
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RELATED STUDIES ANDOUTCOMES
Government Reorganization: Village Dissolution Study, Plan
and Alternatives
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Consolidation/Dissolution
Findings vary and are community specific
Port Henry Dissolution Study
Village Taxes while Town Taxes &
Speculator Dissolution Study
Village Taxes while Town Taxes
Studies often lead to an increased level of
communication between town and village. e.g Evaluation of town taxes on village area
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VILLAGE OF PORTHENRY
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Port Henry: Project Summary
Village/Town Population: ~ 1,050/4,500 Village/Town Area: 1.2/65 square miles
$45,000 High Priority LGE Grant (2008-
2009) Dissolution Plan pursuant to Article 19 of
Village Law
Final cost $47,322.71LGE grant$42,590.44
http://www.cgr.org/porthenry
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Port Henry: Solution
Plan proposed:
Elimination of board, mayor, treasurer, code
enforcement, and attorney.
Transfer of some village employees, propertyto the town.
Water, sewer and fire protection to become
town districts in the former village.
Addition of $303,600 in AIM incentive funds.
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Port Henry: Solution
Cost Impacts:
Based on a home with an AV of $100,000.
Impacts with and without incentives.
Area Current Tax With AIM Without AIM
Village $1,676.00 ($567.02) ($403.66)
TOV (PHFD) $1,000.00 $39.12 $202.49
TOV (FPD) $1,000.00 ($2.86) $160.51
TOV (MWFD) $1,003.00 ($2.08) $161.29TOV (MFD) $1,029.00 ($2.08) $161.29
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Port Henry: Outcome
Referendum Results: Dissolution failed by a vote of 186-146 in
March 2010.
Alternatives: No real options; key village services not
provided by town (snow and refuse removal).
Water system consolidation cost prohibitive.
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VILLAGE OF LAKEGEORGE
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Lake George: Project Summary
Town of Lake George, Warren County
$45,000 High Priority LGE Grant (2008-
2009)
Dissolution Plan pursuant to Article 19 ofVillage Law
Final cost $48,889.22LGE grant
$44,000.30 http://lakegeorge.ning.com/
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Lake George: Challenges
Due diligence effort by village board
Study to determine if there was a benefit
to dissolution
No petition circulate to trigger action
Village dissolved police; use County
Sheriff
Shared service for fire protection withtown
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Lake George: Solution
Analyzed dissolution scenarios andimpacts
Included a co-terminus town/village option
Greatest financial benefit to villageresidents was a dissolution
Plan would provide for transfer of village
employees to town Excluded Mayor, Trustees, Fire Clerk,
Historian, Attorney
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Lake George: Outcome
At the time of the
study:
31% decrease for
village residents in
town and village
combined taxes
9% increase for town
residents in town tax
Next referendum
opportunity: March
2011
TOV Village
Median
Home
Value
$168,000 $168,000
Avg. TaxBill Was
$343 $1,648
Avg. Tax
Bill
Becomes
$375 $1,143
Net
Change
+$32 -$504
Percent
Change
9% -31%
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VILLAGE OF SENECAFALLS
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Seneca Falls: Project Summary
Shared building & services studydetermined most savings for villagetaxpayers would come from dissolutionvs. shared service
Net annual savings of $706,000town/village
Village savings of $8.11 per $1,000 AV, or
$810.69 for village home assessed at$100,000
http://www.cgr.org/senecafalls
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Seneca Falls: Challenges
2008 shared building/service studyrevealed a potential savings if village
dissolved
Study also found that a majority feelstheir Village taxes are too high
Historic preservation concerns in village
Village prefers to retain police protectionwhereas town does not want a town
wide police force
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Seneca Falls: Solution
All functions and services become a townresponsibility
Buildings and other assets to the town
If unnecessary, sold to pay village debt
Fire district with 2 companies
Special districts for lighting, water and
sewer Goal: Unified zoning code, maintain
historic area strategies
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Seneca Falls: Outcome
Final Count: 1,198 for
and 1,112 against
Village government will
cease on 12/31/11
Tax impact on a home
assessed at $100,000:
Village: $882.31
(-$810.69)
Town: $718.43
(+$439.02)
TOV Village
Home
Value
$100,000 $100,000
Tax Rate
per$1,000 AV
$1.63 $16.93
Tax Rate
Becomes
$7.18 $8.82
Net
Change
+$5.55 -$8.11
Percent
Change
157% -48%
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VILLAGE OF JOHNSONCITY
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Johnson City: Project Summary
In 2007 the Village Board received apetition for dissolution with approx 2,600
signatures
With a population of 15,500 the Village ofJohnson City is larger than 25 of New
Yorks 62 cities; it is the largest village in
NYS to go through the dissolutionprocess
http://www.cgr.org/johnsoncity/
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Johnson City: Challenges
Providing equitable service Village: Career Fire and Police Departments
Town: Pay scale for workers in comparable
positions within the public works departmentand clerks office was less than the village
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Johnson City: Solution
Fire, water and sewer districts
Use of county sheriff to replace village
police
Sale of village hall to pay village debt
Village responsibility for joint sewer
treatment to transfer to the town
Transfer of many village employees toother municipalities; net reduction of 32
positions
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Johnson City: Outcome
Results
November 3 2009: 2,215
for & 2,257 against
Possible Options and
Ideas:
Shared fire services
agreement with Endicott
Joint planning & zoning
Unified zoning ordinance
Joint or consolidated
court operation
TOV Village
Tax Rate
per
$1,000 AV
$15.91 $304.14
Tax RateBecomes
$15.22 $221.43
Net
Change
-$0.69 -$82.71
Percent
Change
-4.3% -27.2%
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VILLAGE OF PIKE
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Pike: Project Summary
Co-Applicant: Town of Pike
Awarded $83,700 grant from 2006-2007
Shared Municipal Services Incentive
Program Deliverables:
Dissolution Study
Dissolution Plan http://www.gflrpc.org/
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Pike: Challenges
Population decline due to departure ofcommercial and manufacturing base
Difficulty finding people to serve on
boards; already sharing positions withTown
Village could no longer effectively provide
public services and was no longernecessary
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Pike: Solution
Assistance form Genesee Finger LakesRegional Planning Council
Services Inventory Report to assess post-dissolution delivery of services
Mayor and Board of Trustees abolished, allVillage property turned over to Town
Special districts for water, sidewalks and
lighting Tax impact: Reduction of $0.49 per $1,000
of assessed value for Village taxpayers
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Pike: Outcome
Referendum heldMarch 18, 2008
Out of 36 votes cast,31 voted for
dissolution State law mandated
dissolution at theend of the year
following vote
Dissolved December31, 2009
TOV Village
Tax Rate
per
$1,000 AV
$9.21 $10.41
Tax Rate
Becomes
$8.72 $9.91
Net
Change
-$0.49 -$0.49
PercentChange -5.3% -5.7%
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$9.21$10.41
$8.71$9.91$10.14
$11.55
Town Tax Rate (Unadjusted) Village Tax Rate (Unadjusted)
Tax Rates in Pike (Unadjusted)2008 Projected 2010 Estmated 2010 Projected
$13.64$13.09
$14.02
$12.12
$13.77
$11.65
Town Tax Rate (Adjusted) Village Tax Rate (Adjusted)
Tax Rates in Pike (Adjusted)2008 Projected 2010 Estmated 2010 Projected
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NYSDOS: Outcomes
Municipal consolidations can save up to20 percent
Household tax reductions of almost 15
percent can be achieved through sharedservices
Level of service is often unchanged
through service cooperation
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NEXT STEPS
Government Reorganization: Village Dissolution Study, Plan
and Alternatives
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Next Steps
Receive Grant Award Form Dissolution Study Committee
Release RFP and Select Consultant
Kick Off Meeting Existing Conditions Report
Public Meeting
Plan and Alternatives Public Meeting
Transmit Product to Village Board
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Government ReorganizationVillage Dissolution Study, Plan and Alternatives
Sean M. Maguire, AICP
Northern NY Regional Representative
New York State Department of State
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/LG
Toll Free: (800)367-8488