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WEST SENECA COURT ROOM DRAFT TOWN BOARD PROCEEDINGS 1250 Union Road Budget Work Session West Seneca, NY 14224 September 28, 2026 Independent Auditing Director of Finance Wnek stated the amount accurately reflects the current contract. The 2025 Actual amount reflects the town's lack of preparedness. Assessor Supervisor Dickson stated he provided Town Assessor with a 3% increase, to match the White Collar Contract. Town Assessor Finbar stated there is a Shared Services agreement with the Town of Lancaster and pays a portion of his salary. The salary increases for his staff are contractual and the part-time Clerk line was increased to allow for a raise. Town Clerk Town Clerk Newton requested that the Town Board reconsider the stipends for the Deputy positions. The responsibilities of the 1st and 2nd Deputies are substantial and essential for the office. In prior years, there was a reduction in the salaries and Town Clerk Newton stated that, in her opinion, that was not reasonable given the responsibilities of the positions. The increases in the 2026 budget are reflective of the appropriate annual adjustments that were not made over an extended number of years. Further, the calculations do not account for the effect of compound increases that would have occurred had annual adjustments been made. Town Clerk Newton requested that the Town Board consider an increase of $3,250 across 6 positions to bring them to: Deputy of Vital Statistics $2,500 (the additional $500 equates to: $500/year; $42/mo; $9.60/week; or $0.27/hour) 2nd Deputy of Vital Statistics $1,000 (the additional $500 equates to: $500/year; $42/mo; $9.60/week; or $0.27/hour) Deputy Town Clerk $3,000 (the additional $250 equates to: $250/year; $21/mo; $4.50/week; or $0.14/hour) 2nd Deputy Town Clerk $1,000 (the additional $500 equates to: $500/year; $42/mo; $9.60/week; or $0.27/hour) Deputy Receiver of Taxes $2,500 (the additional $500 equates to: $500/year; $42/mo; $9.60/week; or $0.27/hour) 2nd Deputy Receiver of Taxes $1,000 (which equates to: $1,000/year; $83.33/mo; $19.23/week; or $0.55/hour) Town Clerk Newton thanked the Supervisor and Councilmembers for the increase given to the Bingo Inspector, noting that the salary had not increased in many years. Town Clerk Newton referred to the Postage budget line and stated as she previously advised, the 3rd party vendor will no longer mail receipts for the tax bills they process, and the town will need to absorb the additional costs. The $1,000 increase will not be sufficient to cover the expenses which are currently estimated at $25,000 annually. Supervisor Dickson stated the town does not have to mail receipts and that it was M&T Bank that decided to mail receipts. Further, the receipts are available online or residents can request copies from the office. Town Clerk Newton referred to the Association of Towns publication "Tax Collection in Towns" which states: "If a taxpayer escrows their taxes, the collecting officer must mail or transmit electronically a receipt to the taxpayer within three weeks from when the MII (Mortgage Investing Institution) paid the bill, Real Property Tax Law Section 955 [3]." 2