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The Lansing Highway Department has a budget this year of $2,619,656 to care for the Town's 93+ miles of roads, not counting work they do on special districts such as lighting, sewer and water.  In trying to understand the mechanism for funding the department, Councilman Joe Wetmore asked about how the funding is approved by the Town Board.  Acknowledging that the Town Board provides the funding for his department, Highway Superintendent Charlie 'Cricket' Purcell also noted that he is an elected official, which should give him some autonomy in running his department.  Fearing that Wetmore was proposing that the Town Board approve project budgets separately, Purcell made a case for the Board fully approving his budget at the beginning of each year to give him the flexibility to respond to natural events such as severe rain storms, and to add projects if there is money left over from those planned ahead of time.

"If you don't agree to spend that money, I guess when snow season's over I guess I send everybody home," he said. "If tomorrow we have flooding issues and cross culverts and roads get washed out the only means I have to do that repair work is with that money.  Without that being approved I'm technically breaking the law if I spend it.  I think the majority of the people think I do a good job of spending the taxpayers money in regard to what I do."

The issue was one of a large number of resolutions typically approved together at a taxing authority's annual organization meeting.  The item in question reads, "Resolved that the 2018 agreement for the expenditure of highway moneys be approved and signed by the Town Board, Town Supervisor, and Town Highway Superintendent."  Purcell said the agreement is required by New York State law.

Purcell and Town Board members often remark on their good working relationship.  It has become a bit of a good natured in-joke among board members that Purcell comes to the Board each year requesting more money to replace aging equipment or for a special project.  But when requesting the money Purcell has made a point of asking for as much or less than he has under-spent his actual budget, effectively staying within budget each year.  He said that if the Board has to approve every project it will hold up projects as labor or money turns out to be available.

"We submit a budget on a yearly basis, and the Board approves that budget," Purcell said. "From that point it's technically mine to spend as I feel fit.  It's the Board's pleasure to do whatever they want to do, but in the meantime I have things to take care of.  If we're not dealing with micro-managing, I've never seen a Highway Superintendent explain to a town board exactly what or how they're doing a project.  We have a good working relationship and we try to keep everybody abreast of what work that is going on, because I think its important that the Board does have an understanding or the work."

New York Highway Law defines a highway superintendent's job as, "The town superintendent of highways is primarily responsible for the maintenance and repair of town highways and bridges, and the removal of obstructions caused by brush and snow. The Superintendent generally has the power to hire, subject to appropriations established by the town board, and direct highway department employees for the above-mentioned purposes. The salary and expenses of the superintendent and the deputy superintendent (if any), and certain other administrative expenses are paid from the general fund. Other highway expenses are generally paid from the highway fund."  (Highway Law, Section 141; Town Law, Section 32)

Purcell said that he has to submit 'worst case scenario' estimates in January because the county bid prices are not announced until later.  But projecting conservative estimates he often has money for extra projects later in the year.  Those included the drainage and shoulder project on Myers Road last year.  Additionally his staff works on extra projects during slow times for the department, saving the Town a lot of money it otherwise would have spent on outside labor.  The revamping of the Town marina and the new dock in Myers Park are just two examples of the many projects the department has taken on.

He added that state aid plays a part as to when funding is available for projects.

"We use the Consolidated Highway Aid funds that we get reimbursed for," he said. "In the past couple of years they paid us some Pave New York money and some Early Winter Recovery Act money. Last year that meant I was able to come back to the board to ask for some extra money for other projects based on future reimbursement of that money. So at the end of the day I made it work within our budget. Of the $350,000 we spent last year we had $283,000 of that reimbursed, which is back in our coffers now."

Major projects scheduled for 2018 include capital improvements on Lockerby Hill and Collins Roads.

"I struggle to do more with less," Purcell said. "In my two years at the helm the Board has been super supportive, and I feel we have made a good push to go above and beyond what we were getting done.  We make a lot of things work."

Wetmore said he was just trying to understand what he was voting for, and was happy with Purcell's explanation.  The Board voted 5-0 to pass all the organizational resolutions.

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