Village Approves Dissolution Plan, Public Hearing Set for Nov 4

TANNERSVILLE — The Village of Tannersville Board of Trustees has endorsed a Proposed Dissolution Plan, allowing Village voters to weigh in on whether Tannersville's governance should transfer to the Town of Hunter. The plan, created by the Laberge Group, was developed to streamline services and potentially reduce residents' costs. It is available on the Village of Tannersville website and the project website at www.labergegroup.com/tannersville with copies also accessible at the Village Clerk's Office at 1 Park Lane.

A public hearing to discuss the plan and gather community input will be held on Monday, November 4, 2024, at 6 p.m. at the Village Hall in Tannersville. Here's a breakdown of the plan's main provisions, potential impacts, and anticipated financial effects.

Proposed Dissolution Date and Governance Shift

If approved, the Village of Tannersville would dissolve on December 31, 2025. This dissolution would eliminate the Village's governance structure, including the Village Mayor, Board of Trustees, and Village departments. The Town of Hunter would oversee public services in the former Village area.

Public Works and Water Services

Under the Proposed Dissolution Plan:

The Town of Hunter would take over Village public works and water department functions. All former Village public works staff would be retained to operate and maintain Tannersville's highways, sidewalks, water systems, and parks.

A Tannersville Water District would be created, with boundaries mirroring the current Village limits. The Town would assume all water system assets and phase out the rate differential between Village and non-village users over five years. This transition is expected to add approximately $75 per year to the water fees of a typical single-family home within the Village.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) has confirmed that sewer services, provided at no cost to Village residents, would continue post-dissolution.

Lighting, Zoning, and Code Enforcement

To maintain critical infrastructure, the Town would:

Establish a Tannersville Lighting District to fund street lighting in the former Village through property taxes.

Continue enforcing current zoning regulations and would create a new Zoning Board of Appeals. A part-time code enforcement officer would be appointed to handle zoning and municipal code enforcement in the former Village.

Judicial and Administrative Adjustments

As part of the transition:

The existing Town Justices would handle the Village Justice Court's caseload, requiring additional hours for the Town court clerk.

A new full-time administrative position would be created within the Town to manage increased responsibilities, including grants, water service administration, and event coordination. The Town Clerk and fiscal operations would also receive additional support hours to handle the expected workload.

Property and Asset Transfers

The Village would transfer all parks, public spaces, and equipment to the Town, with the Town Highway Department assuming responsibility for these areas. Certain assets would be sold, including:

The Village Hall and firehouse, with proceeds allocated to cover Village liabilities.

Village public works equipment unrelated to water and recreation is also designated for sale.

The Village public works garage would be included in the NYCDEP Flood Buyout Program, and conservation easements would be preserved for any transferred properties.

Financial Impact on Residents

The Proposed Dissolution Plan includes a Citizen Empowerment Tax Credit (CETC) from New York State, equal to 15% of the combined Village and Town property taxes, estimated at $480,425. A minimum of 70% of this credit must be used to reduce property taxes, which is projected to lower rates substantially for former Village taxpayers. Specifically:

The current combined Village and Town tax rate of $12.12 per $1,000 of assessed value could drop to $8.68 per $1,000 before CETC.

With 70% CETC applied, rates may decrease to $7.83 per $1,000, and with full CETC, as low as $7.47 per $1,000.

For a single-family home assessed at $81,000, these reductions could translate to annual savings ranging from $203 to $302.

Meeting and Next Steps

The public hearing on November 4 is an opportunity for residents to ask questions and provide input on this significant decision. The outcome of this hearing and subsequent votes will determine whether Tannersville dissolves and transitions into the jurisdiction of the Town of Hunter.

For additional information and to review the complete dissolution plan, residents are encouraged to visit the Village of Tannersville's website, the project page, or the Village Clerk's Office at 1 Park Lane.