The Town of Woodstock unanimously passed a 2021 budget with a zero tax-levy increase, signaling belt-tightening due to falling revenues in the middle of a pandemic.
“I think we all felt strongly, given the uncertainty of the economy, that we wanted to give the taxpayers as big a break as possible,” town supervisor Bill McKenna said. “I want to just really once again commend the department heads. When I started talking with them about the budget, I laid this out that I wanted to have a tight year. There was no grumbling. They all pitched in and did a great job. Every department made sacrifices here.”
The total levy, including special districts, is down 0.016 percent from $6,393,562 to $6,392,517. Not included are the Woodstock Fire District and Woodstock Public Library District, separate taxing entities with their own governing bodies.
The spending plan includes deep cuts to youth and senior recreation programs, but McKenna previously noted Covid-19 has limited the ability to host them.
The budget includes very conservative revenue estimates, and the town has been warned to expect at least a 20 percent state aid cut. If the pandemic recovery improves and revenues increase, the town can revisit its situation, McKenna said.
Salaries for elected officials include 2.25 percent raises, as in common in most years and are as follows: Supervisor Bill McKenna, $59,228 up from $57,925; town board (Reggie Earls, Richard Heppner, Laura Ricci, Lorin Rose), $11,362.75 each or $45,451, up from $44,451; highway superintendent Mike Reynolds, $72,606, up from $71,007; and town clerk Jackie Earley, $53,762, up from $52,579.
Charges in the pipeline
Town of Woodstock prosecutor John McGovern is expected to have Vincent and Gina Conigliaro, owners of 10 Church Lane in Shady, a Woodstock hamlet, charged with several counts of illegal dumping of construction debris. Saugerties contractor Joseph Karolys will face the same charges.
Vincent Conigliaro ordered fill delivered to his property for a project and says he didn’t do his homework on Karolys, who faces numerous state environmental charges for running dumps in the town of Saugerties. The fill delivered to 10 Church Lane contains construction debris, which is illegal in Woodstock. In addition, the manner in which the fill was spread and contained on the property violated building code, resulting in a stop-work order. However, that order was later lifted based on inaccurate documentation.
A local hydrogeologist’s study found the material likely contains fly ash from coal burning, concrete and heavy metals.
Conigliaro has agreed to have the fill removed and have a neighbor’s well on Reynolds Lane downhill from the Church Road property tested. The town is awaiting the results.
Though Conigliaro has expressed interest in removing the illegal fill, the charges are seen as leverage in case he doesn’t carry through.
Supervisor Bill McKenna alerted the public to the presence of the fill in January in hopes it would bring further attention to Karolys and his activities. Neighbors have recently complained little had been done since then.
The town board plans to enact a law to prevent future incidents from happening. The legislation would require further documentation and inspection before fill is delivered.
Join the family! 
