North Salem Town Board Special Meeting - December 2, 2025: Budget and Worksession

This special town board meeting focused on the 2026 tentative budget, with primary discussions on funding for the ambulance corps and management of the town's five water districts. The board also addressed a resolution to enter executive session for personnel matters, and briefly discussed a proposed office layout for the senior services coordinator.

Discussion Items

• 2026 Tentative Budget & Ambulance Corps Funding: The board and ambulance corps representative Kurt Golden discussed the ongoing challenges of covering emergency medical services with a diminishing volunteer base. The current per-diem staffing line is $171,000, but Kurt argued this is insufficient to cover weekend coverage where volunteers are scarce. The board considered reducing coverage hours, hiring full-time town employees who are also EMTs, or pursuing the creation of an independent ambulance district—a process that took two years and cost $50,000 in 2008. Kurt noted that the ambulance corps currently receives about $80,000 annually from insurance reimbursements, which barely covers insurance and fuel. The building mortgage ($5,500/month) will be fully paid off by September 2025, freeing up approximately $20,000 in the current budget. The board agreed to shift that $20,000 to increase the ambulance corps allocation to $191,000, and to set aside $25,000 from fund balance to start the legal and survey work for forming an ambulance district.
• Water District Management & Capital Planning: The board reviewed the rising costs and aging infrastructure of five water districts (Candlewood, Croton Falls, Peach Lake, Sunset Ridge, etc.). Supervisor Warren noted that operating costs have risen 50% over the last five years, with Croton Falls facing a deficit and over $160,000 owed to the general fund. Board member Catherine proposed creating capital reserves for each district to buffer against future leaks and PFOS treatment costs. Councilman Peter advocated for hiring a full-time, class-C operator to manage all districts, while others suggested commissioning an engineering study to assess conditions and create a capital plan. The board agreed to budget $25,000—split proportionally across the districts—for an initial engineering study, and to explore whether a single operator could be hired instead.
• Office Layout for Senior Services: The board briefly reviewed a CAD drawing from the senior services coordinator proposing to enclose the front entrance as an office. Members expressed reluctance to remove the original front door but agreed to consider glass partitions or other alternatives. No action was taken.

Key Outcomes

• Motion passed unanimously to enter executive session to discuss personnel matters (particular persons).
• Decision: Shift $20,000 from the ambulance building mortgage line (which will be fully paid in September 2025) to the ambulance corps per-diem staffing line, raising it from $171,000 to $191,000.
• Decision: Allocate $25,000 from general fund balance to begin the process of establishing an ambulance district (legal fees, survey, comptroller filings).
• Decision: Budget $25,000 for an engineering study of the water districts, to be split proportionally among the districts and placed under the "district operator" line. The study will inform future capital reserves and management needs.
• Next Steps: Town staff to finalize the budget by December 3, 2025, for presentation at the December 9, 2025 town board meeting. Kurt Golden to provide a PDF contract for snow plowing at Salem Lake. Staff to obtain a quote from VRI and develop a job description for a potential full-time water district operator.