GLEN SPEY, NY — As a large school bond issue vote looms next month, Lumberland taxpayers learned last Wednesday that town tax increases will not be adding much to their concerns next year.

Following their November 4 public hearing, the town board on November 12 approved a $2,455,068 appropriations budget for 2015.

The budget employs a $125,000 fund balance to keep the town property tax rate increase to 0.73%.

The January property tax bill is a combination of county and town taxes and Supervisor Nadia Rajsz’s comments were mostly directed at the county budget and proposed spending for a new jail.

Noting a newly reported decrease in the town’s assessed valuations, she asked, “Do we really need such a luxurious facility?”

Legislator and majority leader Kathy LaBuda had been asked to attend in order to detail the county budget, but LaBuda notified the town she was unable to attend the Wednesday evening meeting.

ECS presentation

The greater portion of the board meeting was devoted to a presentation by Eldred Central School District Superintendent Robert Dufour and Board of Education President Douglas Reiser.

Last month, a resident complained of an upcoming $5 million school district bond issue, which prompted the town to invite school officials to detail their plans.

Dufour said the bond issue resulted from recommendations in the district’s Five-Year Capital Facilities Plan, which was prepared by Savin Engineers of Pleasantville, NY and submitted to the board this spring. The report, on a scale of one to five, prioritized needs for repair and replacement of various facilities on the district’s two campuses.

Priority one includes “health and safety/life safety,” and items of non-compliance with codes. The report listed priority one items on the two campuses totaling $3,218,750.

Priority two items, totaling $1,075,200, included items having “significant risk” of increasing or rapid building deterioration.

Priority three items included building repairs totaling $382,520. Priority four and five issues covered athletic field improvements at both campuses totaling $885,225.

Dufour and Reiser’s appearance prompted some questions and opposition. There were questions about the district’s oversight of past projects, subsequent additional public costs for earlier repairs, which were not bonded by the contractors.

One resident accused the district of hiding the question from the public and scheduling a vote during the holiday season, when many people would be away.

Dufour said the district board has been reviewing and discussing the report since May and finally authorized the bond issue vote in October.

The $5.56 million bond issue vote will take place on December 16 at the high school, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Complete project details and Dufour’s video presentation are available online at the district website, ecs.schoolwires.com//site/Default.aspx?PageID=2951 .

In other town business, the board approved a proclamation of recognition for former town constable and chief constable Steven Crum, who served the town for over 20 years and died unexpectedly on October 5. The proclamation cited his volunteering in New York City after the 9/11 attack as well as his saving of two lives at a house fire scene in 2002.

The board also approved an amendment to the volunteer emergency service Length of Service Award Plan (LOSAP) allowing a lump sum payment.