Massena Village Board begins budget talks with department heads

The Massena Senior Citizens had requested $2,600, which Mayor Gregory M. Paquin said was the same as last year.

“You’ll notice there is a couple of things there — the desire to rip out some carpet that’s been there since the inception and tile to be put down,” he said.

He said Department of Public Works Superintendent Marty G. Miller had prepared a $2,400 estimate for costs and labor at the Massena Community Center, and the money could come from the fund balance. The work would be done by the Department of Public Works.

However, Mr. Paquin said, because it was a project involving the Massena Community Center, the cost would have to be a 50-50 split with the town of Massena.

“Any project expense or equipment purchase are split evenly. So, I have no problem with that,” he said.

Village Administrator Monique N. Chatland said she had reached out to Town Supervisor Susan J. Bellor.

“She is checking with her board to see if they’ll pay 50%,” she said.

There had also been a request for a stove at the community center, but Ms. Chatland said that had already been addressed through a donation. The village will be asked to hook up the gas.

Massena Senior Citizens President Cheeta Lazore-Dietlein said they were also seeking grant funding to address a request from members for an outdoor pavilion with cement floor for outdoor picnics, as well as a storage shed.

“In terms of the possible grant, we can talk with our grant writers and see if there’s anything out there that we could apply for,” Mr. Paquin said. “I think that’s a great idea. There’s room in the back.”

Trustees also reviewed the budget for the Greater Massena Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Paquin said he would be meeting with Benjamin R. Dixon, executive director of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, on April 26 to discuss the consolidation of chambers in the county, including Massena. The Massena office would be staffed by one person.

“The only thing I was worried about is I do like the Concert in the Park. They did apply for a grant,” he said.

He said the village would be removing all of its winter decorations from the chamber offices so there would no longer be a need to pay $500 in storage. Website maintenance for the chamber’s website would fall under the county, Mr. Paquin said.

“So, I don’t really see that for the administrative duties. So, there’s $900,” he said.

However, there would be expenses, he said.

“From the conversation that I had with Ben, they’re going to be looking for a joint contribution from the village and the town to help support that one person that’s in place. How much that’s going to be, I don’t know. I asked him for a rough estimate, and I’m not going to hold him to it, and he said anywhere between $10 (thousand) and $20,000 that we would split (with the town) if that’s something that they were interested in,” Mr. Paquin said.

His recommendation was to cut the $2,500 that was included in the budget and wait until the transfer took place “and see what it is that town and us would like to do.”

“I know Supervisor Bellor’s pretty excited about this, about reinventing the role of the chamber, and I am, too,” he said.