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Comprehensive-plan committee urges Seneca Falls to plan for loss of landfill revenue
Summary
The town's Fiscal Resilience Committee recommended the board prepare next year’s budget assuming zero landfill revenue and explore disposal alternatives, reserve-policy clarifications, modest tax adjustments and use of reserves; the committee said landfill host-community payments have historically contributed about $3,000,000 annually.
John Samless, speaking for the Fiscal Resilience Committee, told the board the committee's work flows from action plan 2, objective 4 of the town's comprehensive plan and summarized six guiding action items for long-term financial sustainability. He said the committee focused initial work on preparing for scenarios tied to the pending DEC decision and local law affecting landfill expansion.
"The host community agreement payments from the landfill have historically contributed approximately 3,000,000 annually to the town budget," Samless said, and the committee recommended preparing a draft budget that assumes no landfill revenue, researching alternative trash-disposal options, and pursuing a blended fiscal approach of reductions, modest tax adjustments and targeted use of reserves. He emphasized the town is not "broke" but should plan for fiscal resilience in the face of uncertain landfill revenue.
Samless also urged the board and department heads to act quickly because the town's 2026 budget timeline will require worksheets from departments soon; he noted a draft budget is due in early October and a board vote is scheduled in early November. The committee offered to provide further education and options for the board to consider as it finalizes budget decisions.
