ELDRED, NY — Town of Highland officials finalized the 2015 budget on November 13, voting approval for a $2,188,596 spending plan for the coming year.

After final cuts, the tax levy came to $1,780,166, equating to an 8.8% increase in the Highland property tax rate. The measure was passed unanimously.

The budget vote came after the unanimous passage of a required local law, allowing the town to exceed the 2% increase cap mandated by state law.

New contracts for the Highland Lake and Yulan fire departments, the American Legion Ambulance Service and the Sunshine Hall Library were also approved unanimously.

Supervisor Andrew Boyar said the tax increase was the result of what he called “a perfect storm,” of expenses and circumstances.

He said they included higher costs for winter storm snow removal, increased heating oil costs, not-for-profit agencies that had formerly contributed to town costs did not this year, there were extensive building repairs at the Barryville town court, and the town had legal expenses in a lawsuit involving the Highland Field and Stream Club.

The approvals did not come without opposition.

Builder Charles Petersheim said his comparison of budgets from the past five fiscal years showed a pattern of increased general fund, program, salary and benefit spending and highway employee costs, accomplished he said, by “skimming” from funding for highway department operational funds “to pay the rest… You will have this next year, and the next year, if you can’t control this,” Petersheim said.

Boyar then asked Highway Superintendent Tom Ebers if he had accommodated general fund needs in his budget. “I didn’t do anything any differently,” Ebers replied.

Noting that there were seven people getting health benefits in 1981, when he first took office, Boyar said “and that’s the same number today… Costs increase. Retirement is set by New York State, not the town. They tell us what to kick in. Health insurance and retirement are the biggest costs that drive it,” he said.

Petersheim cited highway equipment that the town paid for in cash. “Why pay cash with interest rates at 2%? If it wasn’t for that, we would not be having this conversation,” he said.

Councilman Jeff Haas responded that with $900,000 on hand, it was only fair to spend $300,000 on equipment.

Boyar said building costs included a maintenance man “to keep our town barn from falling down.” The town is seeking grant money to relocate the town barn. “What if that grant doesn’t come through?” he asked.

Petersheim questioned increased recreation costs, but Boyar said that a summer youth program was driven by public opinion. “People wanted it expanded,” he said.

The back and forth continued until Councilman James Gutekunst said “Stop bickering.”

Boyar said he knew of only two optional spending increases in the budget, $10,000 for derelict buildings and $10,000 for constables’ services.

Boyar later noted that his review of budgets showed an average annual spending increase of only 1.43%; and that tax increases—even with the 8.8% increase—over the 2010-15 period average only 2.25%.

With that, he assumed some of the blame for the new tax increase, saying that combination cash equipment purchases and the zero tax increase in 2012 contributed to the current increase. “I probably should have done 2%,” he said.

In other business, the board accepted the year-end resignation of assessor Rene Ozomek, approved a new contract with the Port Jervis/Deerpark Humane Society for dog control, approved the county road snow plowing contract price of $5,657.38 per lane mile, and appointed James Carney to a five-year term on the board of assessment review.