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Westmoreland board approves 2026 salaries, procurement policy and appointments
Summary
At its Dec. 30, 2025 organizational meeting, the Town of Westmoreland Board unanimously approved 2026 salaries for elected and appointed positions, adopted a revised procurement policy aligned with New York General Municipal Law, set the mileage rate at $0.65, and approved a highway wage schedule and blanket insurance undertaking.
The Town of Westmoreland Board convened its 2026 organizational meeting on Dec. 30, 2025, and approved a series of routine organizational resolutions, including salaries, appointments, procurement rules and a blanket insurance undertaking.
Supervisor Charles Hebbard called the meeting to order at 5:14 p.m. and recorded that Councilpersons Burton Seymour Jr., Randy Rundle and Kirk Donley were present while Councilperson Peter Smith was absent. "All Board members present voted AYE and the motion was declared carried," the minutes state repeatedly for the motions recorded.
Why it matters: The board set pay and oversight structures that govern day-to-day town operations for 2026 — from elected official salaries and payroll authority to procurement thresholds that guide how the town buys goods and contracts for public works.
What the board approved: The board unanimously authorized the Supervisor to transfer town funds into payroll accounts as needed and designated the Rome Sentinel as the official newspaper and Community Bank (or successor) as a depository for town funds. It set the mileage reimbursement rate at $0.65 per mile with mileage measured from Town Hall.
The board adopted the 2026 Procurement Policy, written to comply with New York General Municipal Law §104-b and to defer to GML §103 for formal bidding thresholds. Under the adopted policy, purchases of supplies exceeding $20,000 or public works contracts over $35,000 must be subject to formal bidding; intermediate tiers require written requests for proposals and specified numbers of vendor quotes, and the Purchaser must document quote attempts.
The board approved the listed 2026 salary schedule for elected officials, including Supervisor Charles Hebbard at $27,000, Town Clerk Anna C. Storey at $44,170, Highway Superintendent Russell Young at $74,000, and other elected officers at the amounts recorded in the minutes. It also appointed and set wages and terms for multiple appointed and part‑time roles (for example, Bookkeeper Allison Leone at $25,830 per year, Codes Officer part‑time positions, library and park clerks at hourly rates specified in the appointment list).
A commercial blanket undertaking to cover officers, clerks and employees for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026, through National Grange Mutual Insurance (via Eastern Shore Associates), was approved under the authority of Public Officers Law §11; the resolution states that individual undertakings for covered positions are dispensed with in favor of the blanket surety.
The board also reappointed members to the Planning/Zoning Board and set the meeting pay schedule (Chair $120 per meeting, Vice Chair $100, members $85), adopted a Highway Wage Agreement establishing maximum hourly rates by position, and set the regular Town Board meeting date as the second Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Hall.
Votes at a glance: The motions recorded in the minutes were carried by recorded AYE votes from the four members present (Supervisor Charles Hebbard; Councilpersons Burton Seymour Jr., Randy Rundle and Kirk Donley). Councilperson Peter Smith was recorded absent for the meeting.
Next steps/closing: The meeting adjourned at 5:25 p.m. The minutes were signed and submitted by Town Clerk Anna C. Storey.
