Town of Southeast

SOUTHEAST ASKS BREWSTER TO CONSIDER CONSOLIDATION:

The town has reached out to the village of Brewster with a proposal to consolidate its government services, a move that would help bring the otherwise disconnected communities together.

A letter was sent to Brewster Mayor John Degnan on Dec. 14 asking him to consider a plan to form a joint residents' committee that would examine the feasibility of such a merger. Degnan has yet to respond, Southeast Supervisor John Dunford said.
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The offer follows the creation of a state initiative that provides grant money to local governments seeking consolidation and/or shared services. Former Gov. George Pataki and the state Legislature created the Shared Municipal Services Incentive (SMSI) program in 2005 and set aside $2.75 million in the state budget for cooperative efforts. This year, in a statewide effort to reduce the local property tax burden, the program has been expanded to provide $25 million in funding.

Municipalities must apply to the state Department of State for awards in several categories, including $200,000 per municipality for costs associated with the consolidation of two or more governments. Awards have already been announced for 2006-07, officials said.