Orangetown Board To Vote on Charging Schools for Tax Collection

The Orangetown Town Board approved a 2012 budget last week that included revenue from charging school districts for tax collection.

The board will vote on a resolution authorizing the receiver of taxes to collect the fee of 0.125% of taxes it collects for four school districts -- Nanuet, Nyack, Pearl River and South Orangetown -- at its regular meeting 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Orangetown Town Hall. The districts will have 30 days from being notified of the payment due without penalty.

The full agenda for Tuesday's meeting can be found here.

That agenda also includes a resolution approving the request by Orangetown Supervisor of Highways James Dean to keep on the contractors brought in to help with the clean-up of brush from the October snow storm that caused heavy damage to trees in the area. They were initially brought in for 10 days at $150,000. Dean said during the town workshop Nov. 16 that it would take another six or seven days to remove the remaining brush in town. The resolution approves spending of an additional $81,000.

"If we don't maintain the same level, which is 2,000 cubic yards a day, we anticipate six or seven day before we get the 14,000 cubic yards we think are still out there," Dean said. "If we let the private contractors go, we believe it will take 14 days and that would put us into the first week of December."

Dean said that his department had the reserves remaining to pay for the work.

Among other items on the agenda:

• Hire Bellavista Construction for curb and highway construction. Bellavista was the second-highest bidder, but Dean recommended hiring them due to concerns regarding low bidder Advanced Excavating and Construction. Dean said that Advanced Excavating and Construction has not done this type of work in the past and was slow to respond to questions regarding the project.
• Award chemical and fertilizer contracts for Blue Hill Golf Course, Broadacres Golf Course and the Orangetown Parks and Recreation Department.
• Appoint Mary Anselmi as principal clerk for the Orangetown Police Department.