From the Office of the Mayor
By Mayor Mary Marvin
March 19, 2024
The Bronxville Adult School
The spring 2024 session is underway with offerings across so many disciplines including many new classes, as well as returning favorites in the fields of arts, business, technology, food and drink, dance, fitness, sports, and so much more. There also are some historical day trips in the New York City environs that are offered nowhere else. I urge you to go visit their website at www.bronxvilleadultschool.org and take a look at the plethora of offerings.
Financials
The year 2023 was exceptional with an additional $700,000 added to the unassigned fund balance bringing it to $9,427,194. This was all the result of conservative budgeting for revenues and the assistance of some major building permits including renovations to our hospital and also strong sales tax revenues all while keeping expenses very close to budgeted.
We also just received our Moody’s credit opinion reaffirming out Aaa status – the highest rating possible indicating the GO bonds are of the highest quality with minimal risk.
Sales tax revenue for the period of July – December was strong with our receipts equaling $894,000 (we budgeted $1,550,000 for whole year) and we still have two payments to go so we should easily exceed budget. County sales tax revenues for January came in at $16,656 million vs. $18,755 last January – an 11% decrease so as trending nationally, sales have pulled back in our area as well. We should still come in close to $1.7 million for the fiscal year.
Shopping local as you can see from our financial statement referencing sales tax is a huge portion of our revenue stream and without your local spending, tax increases would easily be in high double digits on the Village side of the budget.
The winter months with all the vacations and the less than optimal walkability somedays has an adverse effect on the merchants so I ask you now more than ever, to please make a concerted effort to shop in the Village; meet some of our new merchants, support the ones who have supported us for so long and add to the Village coffers so that we can increase Village services and institute new projects to enhance the entire community. The relationship of shopping locally, home values and the Village financial health is inextricably intertwined.
Infrastructure Maintenance
Our new sanitary discharge compliance program’s purpose is to reduce infiltration in the flow of clean waters into the public sanitary sewer system and to reduce sewage exfiltration into the natural waterways of the Village. The law requires a plumber to perform an inspection and provide an affidavit that the sewer lateral has been tested and/or illegal connections or defects have been eliminated, repaired, replaced, or rehabilitated.
The goal of this new local law is to assure that the private sewer line, extending from a building/house to a public sewer line is operating correctly and is free of conditions such as cracks or breaks that may allow infiltration of stormwater or ground water into the pipe and that the lateral does not have any unauthorized connections such as sump pump discharges, roof leaders or yard drains as property owners are, and have always been responsible for maintaining all private sewer laterals lines that extend from their property to the Villages sewer lines.
Building Permits
There has been confusion of late as to what triggers a building permit when embarking on home improvement projects this spring and summer. Essentially a building permit is needed for any construction, alteration, moving, demolition or change in the nature or occupancy of any building.
It also includes any electrical installation or modification to a building’s electrical system. Plans must be filed both with the village and inspected by an approved electrical inspection agency. In addition, any exterior lighting fixtures installed must now be incandescent unless approved by the Village Planning Board.
Building permits are also needed for the installation of or alterations to elevators and all new or replacement fence installations. Repairs to existing fences do not trigger a building permit. All in-ground swimming pools are required to be completely enclosed by fencing in conformity with New York State requirements.
As to kitchen and bathroom renovations, any alteration or replacement of cabinetry, countertops, sinks, tile, fixtures, etc., need a permit.
Permits are also required for the installation or replacement of a shed, installation or replacement of a roof or siding, as well as the installation of any recreational playsets. Changes in plumbing also trigger permits when any installation affects drainage, vent, or water supply piping, including the extension, relocation, and/or removal of piping, as well as the installation/addition/alteration to gas piping.
Emergency generator equipment also triggers the need for a permit as does the installation or removal of oil-burning equipment including boilers, burners and fuel tanks.
When doing kitchen and bathroom renovations, any alteration and replacement of cabinetry, countertops, sinks, tile, fixtures, etc. triggers the permit process and depending on the type of work contemplated, you may need one or more permits to finish the project. Since every construction project is unique, please contact the Building Department at 914-337-7338 for detailed instructions on which permits you’ll need before you begin work so as not to engender confusion or needlessly cause a work stoppage. The best way to reach the Building Department is often by email or visit https://www.villageofbronxville.com/building-department/pages/permits.