The Brocton Arch is lit up with blue lights to honor first responders in the COVID-19 crisis. OBSERVER Photo by Natasha Matteliano.

BROCTON — The village’s Board of Trustees passed a 2020-21 budget over the Internet April 15, using the Zoom video calling application to respect social distancing.

The $2,540,226 budget includes $722,912 for the general fund, $463,918 for the water fund, $466,051 for sewers and $887,345 for the electric service. $239,957 of fund balance will be used, and $2,045,569 is expected to be raised in revenue, leaving $254,700 to be raised by taxes.

Village Mayor Richard Frost said there would be no tax raise. The budget figures emailed to the OBSERVER by Village Clerk Scott Jagoda did show a very slight increase in the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed property — $9.62 in 2020-21 as opposed to $9.59 under the current budget, which ends May 31. That is still well below the rates during the years 2010-18, which were always around $11.00 per $1,000 assessed.

Trustee Craig Miller questioned why there was $50,000 in a line item for unsafe building demolition. He said the village does not own any unsafe buildings. Frost disputed that, saying one near the reservoir might need to be demolished. The mayor added that the money was already planned for the budget, but was transferred over from an equipment purchasing account.

“It makes sense if it is going to be a village property,” Miller said of the line item. “I don’t want to see taxpayers’ money used to take someone else’s building.”

With no other comments forthcoming, and audio quality variable throughout the meeting, Frost pleaded, “Let’s get the budget resolutions done before we lose the call.” All of them were passed, 4-0, with Frost, Art Miller and fellow trustees Carol Horlacher and Bryan Woleben voting “aye.” Trustee Art Miller was absent.

The board continued on with more business in a short meeting. At the end, everyone thanked Jagoda for setting up the video call.

The business included:

¯ A statement from Frost noting that the arch is lit up in blue to honor first responders during the COVID-19 crisis. “We send out a big thank you,” he said.

¯ Approving an agreement with fiber-optic company FirstLight Fiber. According to Village Attorney Peter Clark, the contract will allow the Victor-based outfit to attach fiber-optic network equipment to village electric poles. FirstLight will pay Brocton $15 per pole for the right to do this. “If anything needs to be done, they will do it at no expense to us,” Clark told the board.

¯ Accepting the resignation of Alan Gustafson as code enforcement officer. He started working for Dunkirk back on July 1 but had promised to work for Brocton on a limited basis until his successor was appointed. With Brocton and the town of Portland deciding to hire Wendy Spinuzza as a code enforcement officer late in 2019, he has now given his notice.

Horlacher mentioned that Spinuzza has requested an iPad so she can start paperwork in her car at the site of an inspection, rather than having to drive back to the office. “All she wants us to say is, we are agreeable to it, and then she will go to Portland,” Horlacher said.

The board agreed to allot $400 for the iPad, or one-third of its expected cost. Portland pays for two-thirds of Spinuzza’s salary and expenses, while Brocton pays the other third — so the town of Portland will apparently be asked to spend $800 on the tablet.