Summer Rec doubles; cemetery plots also up
As it worked on the 2019 budget all fall, the Town Board was forced to look at creative ways to stay under the mandated New York State tax cap. That meant doing things like leasing vehicles instead of buying them, seeking grants for as many purchases as possible, and even considering scaling back services. That last idea didn’t happen, perhaps thanks to the decision to raise most of the fees that residents pay for services beyond what is provided to all.
Here are some of the areas fees went up:
RECREATION
Among the areas where fees were raised was the Town of Highlands Recreation Department. Effective last week, most program fees have been raised by $10. During budget time, Recreation Director Aaron Falk suggested the increases, to not only bring in more revenue, but to start bringing the fees in line with other area communities.
There’s a ‘but’.
“The fees went up $10 for every sport,” Falk said this week. (See list.) “But I need people to know that we will never ever turn away a child from playing a sport for financial reasons.”
He urges parents who have financial issues to see him before signing up a child to play a sport, to work on possible payment plans, etc.
The biggest fee jump for recreation was for the Summer Recreation Program, which went from $100 a child to $200 a child, and from $75 for each additional child in a household to $100 for each additional child in the household. (There are different fees for Summer Recreation for families who receive free or reduced price lunches via the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District. Those fees increased from $50 per child to $150 per child, and from $25 for each additional child in the household to $75 for each additional child.)
Families who send their children to Summer Recreation who anticipate a problem in paying the fee should see Falk as soon as possible, to set up payment plans or make other arrangements.
Summer Recreation begins once school lets out for the summer, and runs four days a week for seven weeks. Children enrolled spend their days with teen and young adult counselors at either Roe Park or Long Pond, and go on fun field trips on Fridays.
No one liked raising the prices, but the concern about having to cancel any of the programs wasn’t appealing.
“It’s important to me, and to the Town Board, to continue to offer all that we have, and, as we can, to add to it. We recognize the importance of having year -round activities for our children.”
Aaron Falk
Two of the athletic-related fees that were not increased are Ponytail League and Little League. Those prices are set annually by the boards of those leagues. Falk said he is not sure if the boards are leaning toward increasing the fees or keeping them the same as they were last year.
Also remaining the same for 2019 are Long Pond fees: the cost is $60 per car and $40 per each additional car in the same family and $6 per adult for a day pass and $4 per child for a day pass.
In the Recreation Department, these are the new fees:
• 4 & 5 year-old basketball and soccer – $35 per child
• 6 & 7, 8-10 & 11-13 year-old basketball and 6-8 & 9-12 year-old soccer – $45
• T-ball – $35 per child
• Coach-pitch baseball – $45 per child
• Swimming lessons – $20 per child per session
• Lacrosse – $45 per child
Most Recreation programs can be signed-up for online at www.highlands-ny.gov
CEMETERY
The price to purchase a single grave has gone up from $650 to $1000; and from $1300 to $2000 for a double grave plot. The last time the prices for graves was raised was 1991, it was noted. The fees go into an account used to maintain the cemeteries, not for digging graves or installing headstones. Those are privately contracted tasks.
Highway Superintendent Pat Patterson was at the meeting to talk with the board about these and the water, sewer and highway fees.
“This might also help with out-of-town people searching for the cheapest plot they can find and purchasing in our town,” he said. “We have researched cemetery plot fees in five different cemeteries and found that we are not charging nearly enough. There are costs to maintain the cemeteries and an increase in the fees is the only way to offset that cost.”
Patterson also told the board, regarding the care of the cemeteries, that he is considering hiring two seasonal employees to do the mowing, weed-trimming, etc. at the cemeteries instead of hiring an outside contractor for that work. He’s going to give the board a proposal soon on that.
SEWER PERMITS
Until last week there was no permit required to connect to the town’s sanitary sewer. Patterson proposed, and the board agreed, that a permit be created and a fee of $300 be charged for residential connection and $800 for commercial connection.
HIGHWAY PERMITS
There was also no fee in place for a road-opening or curb cut work. Patterson suggested, and again the board agreed, that a permit be required and a fee of $150 be charged for that work.
WATER DEPARTMENT WORK
The board tabled this whole section of Patterson’s proposal while he works with Town Attorney Justin Rider and the Planning and Zoning Boards to make sure that fees are overlapping in the area of water. Patterson had suggested fees to hook up water lines, turn water on and off (ie for those who travel in the winter) and for special meter-reading situations (like house closings). He also suggested charging for meters that have to be replaced or repaired due to freezing. These fees will be voted on at a later meeting, Supervisor Bob Livsey said.
