Westmoreland Town Board adopts 2026 procurement policy, sets salaries and highway pay bands

The Westmoreland Town Board met for its 2026 organizational meeting on Dec. 30, 2025, at 5:14 p.m. at Westmoreland Town Hall and unanimously approved a set of procedural and personnel items to guide the town's operations in 2026. Supervisor Charles Hebbard presided; Councilpersons Burton Seymour Jr., Randy Rundle and Kirk Donley were present. Councilperson Peter Smith was absent.

The board adopted the 2026 Procurement Policy after a brief discussion led by Supervisor Hebbard about updating thresholds and procedures to reflect current prices. The policy codifies bidding and quotation thresholds consistent with General Municipal Law (GML) §103 and the procurement guidance of GML §104-b: purchases with a cumulative annual value over $20,000 and public works contracts over $35,000 must be put to formal bid; purchases between $3,000 and $20,000 require a written request for proposals and three written/faxed quotes; lower tiers require fewer quotes or discretionary purchasing by the authorized purchaser. The policy also requires documentation of procurement efforts and allows awarding to a bidder other than the low proposal only with a written justification.

The board approved a slate of salaries and appointments for elected and appointed officials. Key figures approved included Supervisor Charles Hebbard at $27,000 and Town Clerk Anna C. Storey at $44,170. The Highway Superintendent Russell Young's salary was set at $74,000. Council members' annual stipends were set at $5,000. The board also set the Town's mileage reimbursement at $0.65 per mile, with reimbursement calculations starting from Town Hall.

A commercial blanket undertaking (bonding) for town officers, clerks and employees covering Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026 was authorized, to be procured through National Grange Mutual Insurance via agent Eastern Shore Associates, under authority of Public Officers Law §11(2). The resolution dispensed with individual undertakings in favor of a single blanket bond.

The board approved appointment lists for administrative positions, wages and term dates, including Deputy Supervisor Burton Seymour Jr. ($1,000 annually), Bookkeeper Allison Leone ($25,830 annually), Town Historian Nancy Pritchard ($800 annually) and multiple part-time operational positions with specified hourly rates. The board also reappointed members to the Planning/Zoning Board for 2026 and set meeting compensation (chairman $120 per meeting; vice chairman $100; members $85 per meeting) and Board of Assessment Review pay (chair $205/year; members $100/year).

The board adopted the Highway Wage Agreement establishing pay bands for highway positions: Deputy Highway Superintendent and Automotive Mechanic not to exceed $31.16 per hour; three H.E.O. positions not to exceed $28.92 per hour; six M.E.O. positions not to exceed $27.40 per hour; and an "one person plowing" premium of $3.00 per hour during snow removal. All highway pay rates are to be set at the discretion of the Highway Superintendent and be payable bi-weekly.

All formal motions taken during the meeting were carried with unanimous AYE votes from the four members present. The board set its regular 2026 meeting schedule for the second Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at Westmoreland Town Hall. The organizational meeting was adjourned at 5:25 p.m.

Votes at a glance: - Motion 01 (authorize payroll transfers): mover Burton Seymour; second Randy Rundle; outcome: approved (4 AYE; 1 absent). - Motion 02 (designate Rome Sentinel; depository designation): mover Kirk Donley; second Burton Seymour; approved. - Motion 03 (authorize routine bills/payments): mover Kirk Donley; second Randy Rundle; approved. - Motion 04 (set mileage $0.65/mile): mover Burton Seymour; second Randy Rundle; approved. - Motion 05 (approve elected officials' salaries): mover Burton Seymour; second Randy Rundle; approved. - Motion to set regular meeting date (second Monday/6:00 p.m.): mover Burton Seymour; second Kirk Donley; approved. - Motion 06 (adopt procurement policy): mover Randy Rundle; second Burton Seymour; approved. - Motion 07 (standard workday for NYS Retirement): mover Burton Seymour; second Kirk Donley; approved. - Motion 08 (adopt blanket undertaking through National Grange Mutual Insurance): mover Randy Rundle; second Burton Seymour; approved. - Motion 09 (appoint humane society): mover Kirk Donley; second Randy Rundle; approved. - Motion 10 (appoint list of positions, wages and terms): mover Burton Seymour; second Kirk Donley; approved. - Motion 11 (set Sole Assessor and Registrar wages and deputies): mover Burton Seymour; second Kirk Donley; approved. - Motion 12 (reappoint Planning/Zoning Board members): mover Randy Rundle; second Kirk Donley; approved. - Motion 13 (set Planning/Zoning Board wages): mover Burton Seymour; second Kirk Donley; approved. - Motion 14 (set Board of Assessment Review wages): mover Kirk Donley; second Randy Rundle; approved. - Motion 15 (allow part-time W-2 employees to self-pay health insurance; retirees self-pay life insurance): mover Kirk Donley; second Randy Rundle; approved. - Motion 16 (limit part-time hourly wages to budgeted amounts unless board approves): mover Burton Seymour; second Kirk Donley; approved. - Motion 17 (adopt Highway Wage Agreement and pay bands): mover Randy Rundle; second Kirk Donley; approved. - Motion 18 (adjourn): mover Burton Seymour; second Randy Rundle; approved.

The meeting produced a standard organizational slate and procedural framework for the town for 2026, including procurement controls, insurance coverage, wages and appointments. The board did not record public comment and no external speakers attended.