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RYE BROOK, N.Y. Rye Brook Mayor Joan Feinstein delivered her 2012 State of the Village address at the village board meeting on Tuesday evening inside Rye Brook Village Hall. In her address, Feinstein both looked back on the year that was, and looked forward towards the future of 2012.
Feinstein reported that the village currently maintains a "healthy" fund balance number of $3.19 million, approximately 18 percent of the village's operating budget. She also reported that the village has increased its fund balance by $700,000.
"The fund balance is really the savings account, or piggy bank, of the village," Feinstein said. "The increases in the fund balance will be applied to capital projects and infrastructure improvements such as road resurfacing."
Feinstein also reported that the village did not issue any new long-term or short-term debt in 2011 and that the village has reduced its current debt by just under $1 million to around $5 million.
She said that $5 million for a municipality of 10,000 residents is really terrific. Also, Feinstein announced reductions in the village's tax levy by 0.08 percent.
"Despite the economic crisis, I'm glad and happy and fortunate to be standing up here and tell you that the village has not materially reduced services," Feinstein said.
Looking forward, Feinstein highlighted the Bowman Avenue sluice gate project, the Rye Town dissolution study, and fair and affordable housing as some of the village's priorities for 2012.
Feinstein also spoke about plans to create a comprehensive plan for the village, something she previously called "near and dear to her heart."
"Four years ago we started to look at a comprehensive plan, which is a blueprint for the future," Feinstein said. "We decided to step back because of the financial expenditure, but once again we have to make progress and we're going to take that comprehensive plan in a more cost effective way. It's very important to understand what the residents of Rye Brook want from Rye Brook."
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