2019 Preliminary Budget Public Hearing November 5, 2018 Town of Queensbury 2019 Preliminary Budget Public Hearing November 5, 2018

BUDGET EXPENDITURES TOWN-WIDE GENERAL OPERATIONS EMERGENCY SERVICES LIGHTING DISTRICTS WASTEWATER DISTRICTS WATER DISTRICTS OTHER DISTRICTS AQUATIC PROTECTION WASTEWATER DISPOSAL

TOWN-WIDE GENERAL OPERATIONS TOWN-WIDE GO TOTALS 2019 $19,499,913 2018 $19,060,553 Difference +$439,360 +2.31% Amount to be raised by town tax 2019 $1,961,838 General Fund Tax Rate 2019 - 0.521 2018 - 0.539 -0.0180 -3.34% General Fund Appropriations 2019 $13,903,588 2018 $13,576,128 Cemetery Fund 2019 $648,800 2018 $647,950 Highway Fund 2019 $4,370,050 2018 $4,331,150 Solid Waste Fund 2019 $577,475 2018 $505,325 Town-wide General Operations up $439,360, up 2.3% General Fund Tax Rate down 3.34%

TOWN OF QUEENSBURY GENERAL OPERATIONS Assessor, Accounting, Animal Control, Building & Codes Enforcement, Building & Grounds Maintenance, Cemetery, Community Development (Planning, Zoning and Enforcement), Fire Marshall, Highway Administration and Maintenance (snow plowing, Paving, etc.), Information/Technology, Parks & Recreation, Town Clerk (Licensing, Receiver of Taxes, Records Maintenance), Town Counsel, Town Court, Town Supervisor & Board, Transfer Stations (Solid Waste) YEAR HOME VALUE TOWN TAX FOR TOWN OPERATIONS 2019 $256,000 $133.38 2018 $256,000 $137.98 DECREASE $4.60 Emphasize: Assessor, Accounting, Animal Control, Building & Codes Enforcement, Building & Grounds Maintenance, Cemetery, Community Development (Planning, Zoning and Enforcement), Fire Marshall, Highway Administration and Maintenance (snow plowing, Paving, etc.), Information/Technology, Parks & Recreation, Town Clerk (Licensing, Receiver of Taxes, Records Maintenance), Town Counsel, Town Court, Town Supervisor & Board, Transfer Stations (Solid Waste) For the same value home, you are paying $4.60 less

EMERGENCY SERVICES Tax Rate Change Fire .771 to .748 -3.0% 2019 $3,017,000 2018 $2,913,000 + $104,000 + 3.57% EMS 2019 $2,169,000 2018 $1,940,000 + $229,000 + 11.80 % TOTAL FIRE & EMS 2019 $5,186,000 2018 $4,853,000 + $333,000 + 6.86% Total for 2019 = $5,186,000 Non-Taxable Revenues $1,126,000 Total to be raised by taxes: $3,885,000 Fire $2,922,000 EMS $963,000 EMS cost are on the rise throughout New York. New ambulances cost between $125,000 and $150,000 Stretchers can cost up to $40,000 LUCAS compression machine about $15,000 Training costs $300 for a set of EpiPens it all adds up 24/7 staffing costs. Volunteerism is down. 24/7 staffing costs Medicare and Medicaid underpay for services – their payment to the town does not cover the costs The Town is considering an EMS Coordinator – this person or entity will seek improved service and cost reductions. through development of improved Optimization operations, training, revenue production and fiscal management. Will also help with compliance requirements. Tax Rate Change Fire .771 to .748 -3.0% EMS .236 to .247 +4.7%

LIGHTING DISTRICTS Fort Amherst TOTAL Cleverdale Pinewood South Queensbury West Queensbury Queensbury TOTAL 2019 $143,830 2018 $143,525 Difference +$305 + 0.21%

WASTEWATER DISTRICTS Appropriations Difference Pershing-Ashley-Coolidge Reservoir Park Queensbury Consolidated Technical Park S. Queensbury/QBY. Ave. Route 9 West Queensbury Appropriations 2019 $2,334,280 2018 $2,227,267 Difference + $107,013 +4.80% RATES WILL REMAIN THE SAME

WATER DISTRICTS Queensbury Consolidated Total Appropriations Queensbury Consolidated-Exempt Shore Colony Total Appropriations 2019 $4,497,750 2018 $4,446,775 Difference +$50,975 +1.146% SOME RATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

OTHER DISTRICTS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION/MANAGEMENT * AQUATIC PROTECTION * WASTEWATER DISPOSAL Appropriations 2018 2018 DIFF Glen Lake Benefit District $43,335 $43,465 -$130 Lake Sunnyside Benefit District $12,677 $25,499 -$12,822 N Qby WW Disposal District $4,480 $4,480 0 Glen Lake Aquatic Plant Growth Control District Property merger North Queensbury Wastewater Disposal District Great improvement in off shore water quality Lake Sunnyside Aquatic Plant Growth Control District Widely recognized management plan

GRAND TOTALS Tax Cap Compliant 2019 – Appropriations $31,722,265 Difference +$917,701 2019 - Estimated non-tax revenues $19,376,700 2019 - Appropriated from Fund Balances $829,485 2019 - Amount to be raised by taxes $7,328,280 2018 - Amount to be raised by taxes $7,194,206 Difference - +$134,074 – +1.86% Tax Cap Compliant Continuing the Town’s careful fiscal planning to assure tax cap compliance

The Fund Balance Policy Unrestricted Fund Balance - The Town Board will strive to meet a minimum level of unrestricted fund balance in the General Fund of no less than three months of regular General Fund operating expenditures as well as three months of Highway and Cemetery Fund operating expenditures, as these funds are principally financed from General Fund revenues.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Our fiscal philosophy, community planning, and economic development strategies will prepare the Town to weather the inevitable economic downturns. NOW & FUTURE Implementation of worker safety program to lower our workers’ compensation rate. Vehicle replacement, management and monitoring programs reduced expenses and cost spikes. Implemented efficiencies programs: Outsourced animal control and information technology, website development and management. Reduced administration personnel in Water/Wastewater Department, Town Clerk’s Office and Activities Center. Bulk purchasing with county. Electric savings of 25% using solar. Avoided bonding by reserving funding for capital projects. IMPROVING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Job development + commercial development + sales tax revenues = lower taxes. We successfully developed flexible economic zones, like Main Street and Commercial Intensive Exit 18, that encourage commercial development. Working on securing a municipal sewer for Carey Road and eastern Corinth Road – to spur commercial and light industrial development. Investigating development of the Ciba Geigy brownfield site. ADDITIONAL SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCIES CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION Records/archive to cloud. Changing street and building lighting to LED. Replace old and inefficient HVAC system at Town Office. New, more efficient, highway building. Improve efficiencies through Clean Energy Communities Program and More!

Town of Queensbury Comptroller’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System “The Office of the State Comptroller uses the Fiscal Stress Monitoring System to examine the annual financial information reported by your local government. This analysis provides an objective assessment of the fiscal challenges facing individual local governments and school districts, identifying situations where corrective action may be needed.” 4 ratings: • Significant Fiscal Stress (50-100) – these entities are considered to be the most fiscally stressed. • Moderate Fiscal Stress (40-49.9) – these entities are fiscally stressed, but the level is less severe than for those in significant fiscal stress. • Susceptible to Fiscal Stress (30-39.9) – Entities exhibiting fiscal stress conditions, but less severe than those in moderate or significant fiscal stress. • No Designation (0-29.9) – these entities do not meet the established point thresholds of the Fiscal Stress Monitoring System for classification in one of the stress categories noted above. However, these entities may still be struggling with various aspects of fiscal stress. As such, the fiscal stress score should be considered in order to determine

Town of Queensbury Comptroller’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System “The office of the State Comptroller uses the Fiscal Stress monitoring System to examine the annual financial information reported by your local government. This analysis provides an objective assessment of the fiscal challenges facing individual local governments and school districts, identifying situations where corrective action may be needed.” Town of Queensbury Town of Queensbury Comptroller’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System   Fiscal Stress Environmental Stress FYE Score Designation 2015 0.0 No Designation 15.0 2016 5.0 2017 3.3 16.7 Yes, our stress test has been zero. That is zero out of 100. 100 being the worst in terms of Significant Fiscal Stress So now it is 3.3. That is 3.3 out of 100. 100 being bad. So we are still in excellent fiscal shape. “No Designation” means the Town of Queensbury is NOT in a stress category No Designation (0-29.9)

Town of Queensbury Comptroller’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System Year End Fund Balance 1. Assigned and Unassigned Fund Balance General Fund and Highway Town-wide Fund Stress Level Points: 0 2. Total Fund Balance Operating Deficits Operating Deficit Stress Level Points: 3.3 No Designation (0-29.9) 3.3 points = Deficit < 0% in 1/3 Last Fiscal Years This was due to a transfer of funds to our capital budget (Highway Building and Town Office HVAC) – considered an expense from our operating budget. Cash Ratio Cash Position Use of Short-Term Cash Flow Debt Fixed Costs Personal Services and Employee Benefits Debt Service % Revenue

Town’s Moody’s rating Aa2 “Queensbury’s credit position is very strong” “a robust financial position” “Debt burden is negligible” “Economy and tax base are very healthy” Challenge: 2% property tax cap Heavy reliance on unpredictable sales tax revenues The reason why our cash balance as a percent of operating revenues (53.6%) and our fund balance as a percent of operating revenues (45.8%) is higher then the US median.

FUND BALANCES All fund balances successfully audited in line with town fund policy. Because we depend on quarterly sales tax revenues as our primary cash flow (dependent on local economy), fund balances help us avoid incurring debt for capital projects (new highway garage) and unforeseen emergencies.

TOWN OF QUEENSBURY GENERAL OPERATIONS General Fund Tax Rate 2019 - 0.521 2018 - 0.539 -0.0180 -3.34% Emphasize: Assessor, Accounting, Animal Control, Building & Codes Enforcement, Building & Grounds Maintenance, Cemetery, Community Development (Planning, Zoning and Enforcement), Fire Marshall, Highway Administration and Maintenance (snow plowing, Paving, etc.), Information/Technology, Parks & Recreation, Town Clerk (Licensing, Receiver of Taxes, Records Maintenance), Town Counsel, Town Court, Town Supervisor & Board, Transfer Stations (Solid Waste) For the same value home, you are paying $4.60 less YEAR HOME VALUE TOWN TAX FOR TOWN OPERATIONS 2019 $256,000 $133.38 2018 $256,000 $137.98 DECREASE $4.60

PROPOSED TOWN BUDGET FOR 2019 Comments?