Southeast board defends 10.95% budget proposal as debate grows over building‑department staffing and digitization

Supervisor Durante presented the town's tentative 2026 budget and explained why she submitted it at a 10.95% increase, saying the rise “equates to $50 a year per household for our median” price range. She told the board that the town's tax cap this year is 4.23% and that certain uncontrollable costs are driving the request, including payroll increases, a noted 19.76% rise in New York State retirement costs and higher health and utility estimates.

Why it matters: Board members said the percent increase looks large because Southeast's tax rate is low compared with nearby jurisdictions, and they pressed for more granular budgeting based on dollar impacts and revenue timing. Funding and staffing decisions this winter will shape routine services and how quickly the town clears a backlog of permits and code‑enforcement work.

The most contested item was a proposal to add a full‑time assistant building inspector. Supervisor Durante framed the hire as succession planning to cover retirements and an expanding workload: she said the assistant would “at some time can step to the inspector position when retirements are completed,” and would help close long‑running permit files. Multiple board members asked whether permit volume alone justifies an additional full‑time hire or whether process improvements and digitization should come first.

A part‑time building‑department staffer described the permit workflow and enforcement responsibilities, saying many tasks are already handled by multiple people and that rental registration and enforcement work has left the department with a heavy backlog. That staff member told the board that an earlier push on rental registration produced significant revenue, stating in the meeting that the prior effort brought in “$6,060,000 dollars worth of income over and above” (as quoted in the transcript), and warned that many of those registrations will now require inspections.

Opponents of an immediate hire urged the board to invest in the town's record system (M6), scanning and online permitting so a new employee could be productive. One member said a true technology effort requires changing current practices, not only buying software. Board members discussed provisional hiring timing tied to licensing exams and whether to use fund balance to cover partial‑year payroll.

Other details: Durante listed several specific cost drivers she said are outside local control: the tax cap dollars budgeted at $306,000, payroll increases totaling about $180,490 per union contracts, and a retirement cost increase she cited as $111,040. Health insurance and electricity increases were also discussed (transcript cited ~4.35% or $31,627 for health insurance and an electricity estimate just under $30,000).

What happens next: Board members asked the controller and department heads for clearer counts and timelines (permit volumes, exact test dates for inspector certification, and pilot/pilot‑revenue timing) before finalizing the levy. Supervisor Durante set a public hearing on the 2026 budget (later scheduled for Nov. 6), and board members asked staff to return with precise figures so the board can balance hiring and technology investments.

Representative quotes: Supervisor Durante: “the 10.9% equates to $50 a year per household for our median” price range. A building‑department staffer: “There is probably a list of over a 100 that we have to follow‑up on.”

Ending: The board did not take a final vote on the budget at this meeting; members directed staff to provide more detailed revenue and staffing projections at the next meeting so they can reconcile hiring needs with possible technology investments.