A Public Hearing was held on Thursday, August 9, 2007 to gather public opinion on the abolishing of the Village of Angola Police Department. A large number of residents availed themselves of the opportunity to learn more about this upcoming possibility. In addition to all of the Village Board members, Town of Evans Supervisor Robert Catalino and Town of Evans Director of Finance Charles Katra were present to answer questions.

The Board had prepared the following statement that was available for all who attended the meeting:

"The Village of Angola has an annual budget of $1,393,731. Approximately 48% of this budget, or $673,745 is funded through the assessment of Real Property tax. The current property tax rate is $13.52 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation.

In the 2007-08 budget, the cost of the Village Police Department is $347,560. In order to maintain this department, hiring a full-time Chief of Police will be necessary. This is estimated to cost an ADDITIONAL $92,000 for salary and benefits. The Village will also require an additional $10,000 in this year’s budget to cover Holiday pay for the existing employees. This is a total additional expense of $102,000 to this year’s budget.

This additional expense will cause a tax rate INCREASE of approximately $2.05 or 15% for next year’s budget. This does not include other escalating costs such as employee wage increases, rising health insurance premiums or retirement benefits.

If the Village abolishes the Police Department, New York State Law requires the Town of Evans to provide Police Services. The Village will reduce its current budget by the $347,560 resulting in a property tax decrease of approximately $6.96. Angola will also not incur the additional $102,000 in expenses, which would mean an additional $2.05 in property taxes, not to mention other related, unavoidable increases in costs.

Village residents will pay an estimated additional $6.28 in Town tax, resulting in a savings of 68 cents from this year’s budget, and a total corresponding decrease of $2.73 in the event of a full-time chief being hired.

Tax Currently Paid By Village Residents

Village Tax $13.52  ~ Town Tax $4.70 ~ Addl’ Town Tax NA ~ TOTAL $18.22

Tax to Be Paid By Village Residents After Abolishing

Village Tax $6.56 ~ Town Tax $4.70 ~ Addl’ Town Tax $6.28 ~ TOTAL $17.54

Projected Savings $0.68"

Mayor Howard "Hub" Frawley welcomed everyone and stated that individual comments would be limited to 5 minutes and time would not be transferable between speakers.

Angola Police Chief Patrick Puckhaber refuted the budget information sheet that the Board prepared. Puckhaber stated that the additional $92,000 for salary and benefits for a chief of police was incorrect because Puckhaber had been one of the 3 full-time officers in the department when he was employed by the Village full-time and hiring a full time chief should not be the addition of another officer but the replacement of one of the full time positions.

The following are the questions with answers:

• Why do we have to abolish the Department and not just "moth-ball" it so we can bring it back if the merger doesn’t work?

The law has changed since the 1990s when the Department was suspended and the Sheriff’s Department patrolled Angola. There are "no half way measures"; the Department has to be abolished but it can be re-established if the Village decides it wants its own Police Department again.

• Do we have a signed agreement with the Town of Evans?

No, there is no signed agreement. The Village and the Town have been negotiating and working out the particulars of an agreement. Part of the reason for the Public Hearing is to find out the concerns of the residents and incorporate them into the contract. At this time, the 3 full time officers are to be hired by the Town and there will be a dedicated car for the Village. Supervisor Catalino is in negotiations with the PBA for the Town Police contract and is working to get additional part time police on the Evans Force; of the 11 part time Village officers, 9 have other full time positions. By the time the Village Board votes on abolishing its Police Department, a contract will be in place that is mutually agreed upon by both Village and Town Boards.

• What guarantee do we havthat in 5 years we will still have a dedicated car?

There are no guarantees. The Department constantly evaluates the community needs and will tailor its coverage to meet those needs.

• What will happen to the new police car the Village bought?

The Town will take it.

• Are there any plans to consolidate the Village and Town Courts?

No.

• Will the Village Police Station be used as a sub-station?

Probably not but it will be available if it is found that there is a need for a sub-station.

• Will the Village be paying for the Police Services provided by the Town?

A payment will be made to cover the service provided by the Town to the Village from the date of the changeover until the end of the year. After that time, the police services to the Village will be budgeted in the Town’s budget and covered by taxes paid by the residents. (As noted earlier in this article, the Village residents will have their Village tax reduced and will be paying additional Town Tax which will cover their share of the Police Services provided by the Town.)

• Do residents get to vote on abolishing the Village Police Department?

No. The Village Board is elected to make decisions for the residents. The Board has been entrusted to study the issues, evaluate options and decide what actions to take that are in the best interests of all the Village residents. However, this decision (abolishing the Police Department) would be a change in a Village Law and is subject to a Public Referendum which means that after the Village Board votes, the public has the right, within 30 days, to file a petition asking for a public vote on the new law.

• When does the Board plan on making their decision?

At the August 20, 2007 Village Board meeting.

• Why is there such a rush? Wouldn’t it be better to wait until the new Evans Chief of Police is in place?

It is not a rush – the Town and Village have been in talks about police consolidation for the last 7 – 8 years. The Boards are working well together and looking for ways to improve services to the residents and keep costs down. The time is right. The Town has an acting Chief of Police who is running the Department. A new chief will not have any effect on this contract.

Comments from the Village Board:

Trustee John Wilson stated it was terrific that so many people attended the public hearing. He wanted everyone to know that when the Board met to set the date for the Public Hearing it was appropriately done at a time that was convenient for the Board and not meant to hide anything from the residents. There was no discussion of the issue at that meeting. All discussion was heard at tonight’s meeting.

Trustee Jim Carlson – "This isn’t by any means a step to eliminate the Village. We want to keep our identity."

Trustee Mike Stockman – "This is the first step to protecting the Village so it is around in the future. What is the breaking point? We need to keep taxes in line."

Trustee Bill Houston – "This is a win-win situation. We have the support from the Town and we didn’t always have it. We can’t afford to do it [have our own Police Department] anymore.

Mayor Hub Frawley – "Every town and village is losing population and all are looking for ways to save money.

The Brant Town Board met in a regular work session on Thursday, August 9, 2007. All five members were present.

After addressing some matters, the Board went into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters, which is customary procedure. David Hock had been hired to replace the retiring Chief of Police Wayne Falk in 2006. After learning from Civil Service that Mr. Hock could not serve in that position, the town changed his status to part-time officer, which limits his employment to less than twenty hours per week. Subsequently, the town learned that Mr. Hock could also not perform certain administrative duties. Thus, at a special meeting on July 18, 2007, the Board appointed Supervisor Leonard Pero as Police Commissioner, and Councilman Roseann Turner, was assigned certain administrative and scheduling responsibilities. Following the August 9th Executive Session, the Board returned to open meeting to move on the information discussed, absent Councilman Turner. She had excused herself from the meeting, since she was adamant about tabling the matters discussed until the next regular Board meeting on Tuesday, August 14, 2007.

The remaining members voted to suspend Officer Hock, without pay, while the Board looked into a voucher that had been paid through the Police Department. The allegedly misused voucher also triggered a request for an audit of the Brant Police Department records from May 2006 to the present and a request for an investigation by the Erie County district attorney of the voucher.

In their Saturday, August 11, 2007 issue, The Buffalo News reported on the outcome of the work session. According to Supervisor Pero and Councilman Turner, the information that was printed in the article was incorrect and inflammatory. Officer Hock was not working as the "acting police chief" but as a part-time officer with extra duties that had subsequently been assumed by Supervisor Pero and Councilman Turner. Hock’s status with the Civil Service has been an ongoing dialog between the Town and Civil Service as they work toward a resolution. In the course of their preparation of the article, the News never contacted Supervisor Pero or Councilman Turner for their comments and verification of the details of what occurred during the work session and executive session.