Watertown residents can weigh in on city's proposed $56.5M budget Monday night

Craig Fox, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

May 15—WATERTOWN — Residents will have a chance Monday night to weigh in on the city's proposed $56.5 million budget.

Public hearings will start at 7:15 p.m. at Watertown City Hall, 245 Washington St., on the spending plan and the city's capital program.

City Manager Kenneth A. Mix has proposed adding 24 new positions in several city departments. He has said that increasing sales tax revenues would pay for the new positions.

The budget also covers 22 recreation and quality of life projects, including $1 million for Zoo New York, $3 million for improvements at Thompson Park and about $2 million each for Black River parks and trails and sidewalk reconstruction.

The projects would be funded through the second phase of the city's American Rescue Plan Act allocation, which totals about $11 million. The city's first $11.3 million in federal stimulus money of its $22.3 million total is being used to replace aging water main lines, repair or replace the Flynn Municipal Pool at North Elementary School and go toward a downtown streetscape project planned through the city's 2017 Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

Under the tentative budget, the tax rate is down 1.74%. The tax levy increase will be 0%.

Also Monday night, council members will be asked to appropriate $75,000 to Zoo New York.

The zoo would use the $75,000 to develop schematic drawings for the $1 million ARPA-funded improvements.

Council members will also consider renewing a contract with Loomacres Wildlife Management, the Warnerville consultant that handles the city's crow hazing efforts in the winter months.

The city is just finishing a three-year, $16,238 contract to chase the crows out of downtown and neighborhoods.

The company has handled crow hazing for the city for the past 11 years.

According to a report submitted to the city, the flock started with 500 to 2,300 crows and grew to 1,000 to 3,000 before the company began its most laborious hazing efforts, according to Loomacres.

Those crow numbers are down from when as many as 20,000 to 25,000 crows invaded the city every winter.