Town Hall Is Historic - Not Histrionic

Ahhhhh - feels good for a change.




The beautiful, majestic Irondequoit Town Hall is now listed on the Town's historic registry - which protects that lovely building from ever being torn down, or from any future structural changes without going through the Preservation Committee first.

Thanks to Patricia Wayne for her tireless efforts as Town Historian, and to Supervisor Mary Joyce D'Aurizio for requesting the historic designation.

I found the history of where town hall meetings were previously held interesting - but what amazed me was how it "came to be". The Supervisor at the time - Thomas Broderick - and the town board - set aside funds every year for 21 years so that grand building could be built. They incurred no debt, and it was completed in 1951.
Sadly, Supervisor Broderick died before it was completed. But, his legacy lives on! What a novel idea! Saving money for the future buildings the Town wants. Wow. Whoda thunk it?

I notice there's no press release on the Town Website about this. You should get one up there because you don't want to be accused of being a "do nothing" if you don't brag about yourself in a press release every other day. It's very important MJD.

OK - that takes care of the good news for today.

Here's the bad news.

D&C Article about the Town Budget.



Good News about the bad news:
$30.8 million dollar budget - $600,000 LESS THAN 2010's budget - tax rate remains flat. Levy is increasing by $5,000 to $16.5 million. The budget is very disciplined - but there will NOT be cuts in programs or services.

Sidewalks will be plowed - police will still be a presence - your kids will still sign up for summer programs.

All is well, Irondequoit. All is well.

What isn't well, is the financial situation in Irondequoit.

Bad News:
Link to Moody's where they downgraded Irondequoit's rating due to it's shaky finances.

Here's your daily snippet:

"NEW YORK, Aug 4, 2010 -- Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the Town of Irondequoit (NY) G.O. rating to A1 from Aa3,affecting $19.2 million in outstanding debt secured by the town's general obligation, unlimited tax pledge. The downgrade reflects the town's limited financial flexibility following a trend of operating deficits, resulting in a narrow undesignated Operating Fund balance and limited financial flexibility. The A1 rating also reflects the expectation that the town's moderately sized $2.5 billion tax base, located in Monroe County (G.O rated A3/stable outlook) with close proximity to the City of Rochester (G.O rated Aa3/NOO), could be vulnerable to further decline due to the current economic environment and softening of real estate market. The town's net direct debt burden is above average at a 3.4%.

Moody's believes the town's financial operations will remain challenged given a narrow undesignated operating fund balance. Moody's analysis of the town's finances factors two major operating funds (General and Highway Funds). On a combined basis, the reserve in these funds declined to $932,000 (a very narrow 3.9% of revenues) in fiscal 2008, reflecting the impact of several years of operating deficits in the General and Highway Funds. Due to cash flow restraints, management has relied on the transfers from the town's sewer enterprise to support operations in anticipation of tax receipts from the County. These borrowings have been increasing in recent years, with $2.1 million borrowed in fiscal 2009 (ended December 31), indicating increased fiscal pressures on the town's cash flow. Positively, the town's operating trend has improved slightly in fiscal 2009, when the town achieved an operating surplus of $678,000 (General and Highway), primarily driven by expenditure savings related to public safety and culture and recreation, increasing total operating reserves to $1.6 million (an adequate 6.6% of Operating Revenues). In addition, new management has decreased annual fund balance appropriations within the General and Highway funds, which in prior years have not been replenished.

The fiscal 2010 budget appropriated $70,000 of fund balance from the Highway Fund, a decrease from prior years when the majority of appropriation occurred within the General Fund, all of which management expects will be replenished by year end. Despite a recently improved financial position to adequate levels, Moody's believes the town's financial operations could be pressured in the near term due to their limited financial flexibility characterized by a narrow undesignated operating Fund Balance of $997,000 (4.1% of revenues). In addition, the town anticipates to face continued fiscal pressures due to lower than anticipated sales and mortgage tax revenues, which represented 20% of total Operating Fund revenues in fiscal 2009.

Moody's anticipates that the town's net direct debt burden (3.4% of full value) will remain stable given future debt plans, which include converting a $2.5 million BANs to long-term bonds, and rapid amortization of debt principal (89.3% repaid within 10 years). All of the town's debt is fixed rate and the town is not party to any derivative agreements."

Not so bad that the town is at the point of insolvency - but not good enough to be spending like drunken sailors on a pirate ship sailing out of Irondequoit Bay.

Because of that financial situation - guess what? You're not getting a 28th and 29th ball field behind Town Hall.

I know, I know. 27 ball fields is just not enough. How many children will suffer because MJD is too stingy to provide the funding needed for two more ball fields? She had better not go ahead with that stupid skate rink idea because how will we pay for it? What about liability? Warming stations? Staffing? Security? Building it in the first place? How could she even THINK about wasting a dime on that one skate rink for something to do during the winter when we really need couple of ball field behind town hall. Never mind about the funding for construction, bathrooms, snack shack, liability, staffing, security, lights for the ball fields....that's not important.....what is important is that MEH promised them last year, and now you must provide it. Snap Snap!

CPL lists the "Private/Other Municipal Facilities" in this document, on page 14. There are, according to CPL, 27 baseball/softball fields, and 16 multi-purpose fields. Yes. We definitely need another ball field. Good call.

You should really dig a little deeper and find out why construction didn't start last fall when it was supposed to - but - we don't need to do that. We can just keep asking about it at every meeting.

Other snippets from the article about the budget:

D'Aurizio said the town is holding off on buying public works equipment, and said some vacant positions will not be filled.

While she said she hoped some employees would opt to retire and minimize any layoffs, D'Aurizio said there still would likely be "a couple."

Salaries of elected officials would remain the same. (and MJD STILL doesn't have any assistants - compared to the...what....4 or 5 that were previously there?)

Fees for rental facilities such as Camp Eastman would increase by about $5 per day, she said. The town will approach the business community to sponsor special events, such as the Fourth of July fireworks, and the town's magazine, Images, will be completely funded by advertising, D'Aurizio said.

More Bad News:

And now onto my favorite subject besides Joe Morelle - "Mr. Live, Work, and Play" himself - Scott Congel, and his intrepid dedication to getting those shovels in the ground after 2 years of absolutely nothing. I only say that because I'm jealous of Congel's success, and I wish I could be like him.

You guys will LOVE this article because you can spin it into being MJD's fault! Even though she had nothing to do with the crafting of the PILOT, and didn't campaign on grabbing Congel's peanuts and demand he pay up or go back on the tax rolls - it's her damn fault. But don't worry! Joe Morelle wants to give him state aid! Joe was INSISTING back in March that it was time that people stepped up the pressure! So, MJD, you take care of the stepping up the pressure part, and Joe will take care of advocating for the State Aid part once you get Congel to produce some activity at Medley, ok? Great. Thanks.

Here's the article at WROC.



No date on the article, so here's the screen shot of when the report appeared on WROC:


Been 2 years - project at a standstill - MJD confident that Congel is committed to the project - he still can't get the financing, and the hope that some stores would be in by black Friday is not going to happen - no guarantees of when demolition and construction would start - says no other developers are willing to do anything with the property because of the economy etc. - says he has several tenants signed on - and that he doesn't owe any money until demolition starts, or until next year when he is late making his tax payment again.

We must stay positive because.... faulting somebody else (for doing it right or doing it wrong) isn't going to make you happy and it's certainly no good for the town. (Brahmin edict from on high to the Shudra 10/29/10.)

Right? Riiiight?

Update on Breslin: Hiccup.