Town budget includes raise for reluctant supervisor

Posted 12/1/21

The Montgomery Town Board approved its 2022 spending plan last month with a 4-1 vote, as Town Supervisor Brian Maher was the only dissenter.

“I am voting ‘no’ because I do not …

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Town budget includes raise for reluctant supervisor

Posted

The Montgomery Town Board approved its 2022 spending plan last month with a 4-1 vote, as Town Supervisor Brian Maher was the only dissenter.

“I am voting ‘no’ because I do not support a 10 percent raise for me. I am very happy with the pay that I get right now,” Maher said.

The budget includes a 10 percent raise for the supervisor, who is due to collect a salary of $79,514.60, up from the $72,000 he is currently receiving.

“I understand what the town board did, they’re not thinking of me they’re thinking of the position,” Maher said, adding that he knew the salary when he first ran for the job two years ago. He was just re-elected to his second term last month.

During the budget discussions, Deputy Supervisor Ronald Feller said he had done research, noting that the average salary of supervisors in neighboring towns was about $109,000, compared with $72,000 in Montgomery, and he proposed an increase to about $90,000.

Councilwoman Kristen Brown countered with a plan for an incremental increase of about 10 percent each year for the next three years, which translated into an increase of the supervisor’s salary to $79,514 in the budget for next year.

The budget also provides salaries of $19,950 for the deputy supervisor and $16,800 for each of the three remaining council members. Those are all part-time positions. Two town justices will receive $29,243.76 each, while the town clerk will receive $79,331.62 and the Highway Superintendent is due to collect $89,250.

The total town budget for next year is $13,814,384.90. Maher said the budget will result in 0.5 percent decreases for the “A” fund ($9.4 million), which includes taxes assessed to residents of the three villages; the “B” fund ($4.9 million) which is assessed only to residents living outside the three villages and the highway fund ($2.9 million).

“I thank you all for your hard work,” Maher said, addressing the board.

Brown, who did join the other council members in voting yes, did express one concern.

“I would like to see the ambulance corps increased by $50,000,” she said.

The Town of Montgomery Volunteer Ambulance Corps is currently budgeted to receive $150,000.