Town board adopts 2026 budget, authorizes five‑year cable franchise renewal and approves multiple municipal contracts

The Town of Austin board adopted its 2026 budget and approved a package of municipal contracts and agreements during its Dec. 9 legislative session.

The board voted to adopt the 2026 budget. The transcript records the town '100' fund appropriations as $6,627,657, the unincorporated '200' area fund as $4,831,457 and the highway ('310') fund as $3,364,358. The transcript lists the fire/refuse fund at $1,741,697 and the ambulance district at $1,459,894. The amounts for the water and sewer funds and the cemetery fund were garbled in the record and are listed as not specified pending the official adopted document.

The meeting also authorized the supervisor to enter into a five‑year franchise renewal agreement with Optimum Communications, which the presenter said "own[s] and operate[s] Cablevision of Austining LP." Frank Oliva, senior director of government affairs for Optimum, said the company has been operating under a temporary authority while negotiating terms and that the proposed agreement largely follows the prior franchise. "We provide 5% of our gross cable revenue to the town as a franchise fee," Oliva said, adding that the contract includes insurance, indemnification clauses and town review of certain records to confirm compliance. The board resolution authorizes the supervisor to sign the five‑year renewal and reserves a town option for a five‑year extension; the resolution also requires a public education and government (PEG) access grant of $1 per subscriber per month to be paid to the town for the contract term.

In a single meeting the board approved several other operational contracts: a consulting agreement with Millennium Strategies LLC for 2026, participation in the New York State Municipal Workers' Compensation plan, a 60‑month lease for a postage/folding machine with Leasing USA Inc., and a contract with Express Taxi Inc. to participate in the senior citizen taxi service program (coverage noted through March 2026). The board also called for a Jan. 13, 2026 public hearing on a cover license application for Maya Riviera Bar & Restaurant.

Board members praised department heads and staff for producing what one member called a "responsible budget" and thanked municipal partners across departments. The board accepted November departmental reports and moved into an executive session on pending litigation before adjourning.

Votes at a glance - Adopt 2026 budget — approved (motion/second recorded). Recorded appropriations: town '100' fund $6,627,657; unincorporated '200' area fund $4,831,457; highway '310' fund $3,364,358. Water/sewer and cemetery totals: not specified in transcript. - Authorize five‑year cable franchise renewal with Optimum Communications/Cablevision of Austining LP — approved; includes PEG grant of $1 per subscriber/month. - Millennium Strategies LLC consulting agreement (2026) — approved. - NYS Municipal Workers' Compensation participation (2026) — approved. - Leasing USA 60‑month postage/folding machine lease — approved. - Express Taxi Inc. senior citizen taxi service contract — approved (term noted to March 2026). - Call public hearing for Maya Riviera Bar & Restaurant cover license (Jan. 13, 2026) — scheduled.

What happens next The franchise agreement and the adopted 2026 budget will be implemented according to the town's administrative schedule; the PEG grant and franchise payments are due as specified in the executed contract. The board scheduled an upcoming public hearing on the Maya Riviera cover license; other administrative contracts will proceed under the supervisor's execution authority.