The Twin Lakes Village Board Monday passed a tax levy for 2012 with a .85 percent increase over 2011.
The 2011 levy was $3,268,723. The 2012 levy will be $3,296,634, a difference of $27,911.
Included in the board’s levy related moves Monday was a motion to abate the $41,935 associated with levy for the debt service on the purchase of the Lake Elizabeth Marina property. Instead, the village will pay the debt with surplus funds from the 2011 Marina Launch Fund.
Despite the levy increase, village administrator David Cox pointed out that “sewer rates will not change in 2012 and recycling and refuse costs will decrease by at least $11 annually for each service level. As a result, the average property owner will see a slight reduction in the overall cost of village services in 2012.”
Most of the village budget was adopted as presented by staff as well. But lingering questions about garbage service kept the sanitation budget from being approved Monday.
Explained Cox:
“The potential contractors, Johns and Veolia (the incumbent), have been asked to re-evaluate their proposals to ensure that they will continue to provide the services we have today. Under Veolia’s proposal, some services like white good or bulk item disposal would have become a charge directly to the user and not been included in the annual price. Johns proposed to collect most of these items at no additional charge but at a higher rate. New proposals are due Monday and the Village Board will likely meet in special session on Monday or Tuesday of next week to decide. Then the budget will be set and the final preparations will be made to send out tax bills.”
That special meeting has been set for Monday, Nov. 28 at 5:30 p.m. at Village Hall.
