Westmoreland board approves 2026 salaries, procurement policy and appointments at organizational meeting

Supervisor Charles Hebbard called the Town of Westmoreland’s 2026 organizational meeting to order at 5:14 p.m. on Dec. 30 at Westmoreland Town Hall. The board — Councilpersons Burton Seymour Jr., Randy Rundle and Kirk Donley — approved a slate of administrative motions establishing salaries, appointments, policies and wage ceilings for the year.

The board unanimously authorized the Supervisor to transfer town funds into established payroll accounts as needed and designated the Rome Sentinel as the town’s official newspaper and Community Bank (or any FDIC-insured depository in Oneida County) as the depository for town funds. Councilmembers also authorized the Supervisor to pay recurring utility and service bills and to purchase stationery and postage as needed.

Most of the meeting’s discussion centered on administrative housekeeping. The board set the mileage reimbursement rate at $0.65 per mile for 2026, with all mileage reported as beginning at Town Hall, and approved the listed salaries for elected officials: Supervisor Charles Hebbard at $27,000; four councilmembers at $5,000 each; Town Clerk Anna C. Storey at $44,170; Highway Superintendent Russell Young at $74,000; Receiver of Taxes Margaret Leone at $10,017; and Town Justices Keith Bowers and Tom Hart at $18,656 each.

The board discussed and adopted a 2026 Procurement Policy required by General Municipal Law §104-b. The policy names Supervisor Charles Hebbard and Highway Superintendent Russell Young as responsible purchasers, requires documentation of purchase estimates and vendor canvasses, and establishes solicitation thresholds: purchases above $20,000 and public works contracts above $35,000 must be formally bid under GML §103; purchases under $20,000 but over $3,000 require a written RFP and three written or faxed quotes; lower tiers require fewer quotes or allow purchaser discretion. The board recorded that a good-faith effort must be made to obtain the required number of proposals and that awards should go to the lowest responsible bidder unless a written justification is filed.

The board also adopted a blanket undertaking (commercial surety) through National Grange Mutual Insurance (via Eastern Shore Associates) to cover officers, clerks and employees for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026, dispensing with individual undertakings in accordance with Public Officers Law §11.

Appointments and wages for dozens of part-time and appointed positions were approved, including Deputy Supervisor Burton Seymour Jr. ($1,000 yearly), Budget Officer Charles Hebbard ($5,000 yearly, term through 2029), Bookkeeper Allison Leone ($25,830 yearly), Town Historian Nancy Pritchard ($800 yearly), part-time codes officers Fred Fox Jr. ($9,360 yearly) and Patrick Baron ($18,221 yearly), water-treatment plant operators, clerks, and other town employees at the pay rates listed by the board. The board reappointed members to the Planning/Zoning Board for 2026 and set meeting pay: Chairman Joseph Malecki $120 per meeting, Vice Chairman Roger Potenski $100 per meeting, and $85 per meeting for other members. The Board of Assessment Review pay was set at $205 per year for the chairman and $100 per year for members.

The board authorized part-time employees who receive a W-2 to self-pay health insurance if they elect to do so and allowed retirees to self-pay life insurance premiums; it also approved a motion that part-time hourly workers will not exceed budgeted wage amounts unless the Town Board approves increases.

On highway staffing and pay, the board adopted a Highway Wage Agreement that sets pay-rate caps for several positions: Deputy Highway Superintendent and Automotive Mechanic not to exceed $31.16 per hour; H.E.O. positions not to exceed $28.92 per hour; M.E.O. positions not to exceed $27.40 per hour; and a One Person Plowing stipend of $3.00 per hour over regular pay when operating equipment during snow removal. The agreement gives the Highway Superintendent discretion in setting pay rates within the caps.

All motions recorded during the meeting carried by unanimous AYE votes of the members present. The board adjourned at 5:25 p.m.

Votes at a glance: authorize payroll transfers — moved by Councilperson Burton Seymour Jr., seconded by Councilperson Randy Rundle; designate newspaper and depository — moved by Councilperson Kirk Donley, seconded by Councilperson Seymour; authorize recurring bill payments — moved by Councilperson Donley, seconded by Councilperson Rundle; set mileage rate ($0.65/mile) — moved by Councilperson Seymour, seconded by Councilperson Rundle; adopt Procurement Policy (GML §104-b compliance) — moved by Councilperson Randy Rundle, seconded by Councilperson Seymour; adopt blanket undertaking (Public Officers Law §11) — moved by Councilperson Rundle, seconded by Councilperson Seymour; approve appointments and wages — moved by Councilperson Seymour, seconded by Councilperson Donley; adopt Highway Wage Agreement — moved by Councilperson Rundle, seconded by Councilperson Donley. Each action carried with all Board members present voting AYE.

Next steps: the decisions take effect as recorded for 2026; routine administrative follow-ups (recordkeeping for procurements and implementation of wage schedules) are the responsibility of the Supervisor’s office and department heads.