Harbor Councilman Levinson: Park Project Costs Taxpayers

STONE HARBOR — Should borough employee benefits be a factor in calculating the cost of the temporary park improvement project at 96th Street and Third Avenue?
Councilman H. Brian Levinson and Mayor Suzanne Walters disagree whether that project has increased expenses from taxpayers’ pockets.
Levinson voted in favor of the temporary park project. However, he said if knew that it would cost taxpayers a dime, he would not have supported it.
He asserts that the project affects the borough’s budget because only hourly wages, not including employee benefits, were used to calculate the cost of the revamping.
Borough Public Works employees were used to landscape the vacant bayside lot for a temporary summer park as the community awaits construction of the proposed Shelter Haven Resort.
The lot is privately owned by Dr. John Sprandio. The borough leased the property over the summer.
Walters said all costs for the park project would be paid for by public donations with no taxpayer money.
Cost of park preparation was reported as $3,291 composed of $1,736 of wages for 108.5 hours worked plus $1,555 in material cost, Levinson said.
Based on the 108.5 hours worked, he calculated borough-paid benefits for social security, unemployment, medical and pension to be $720.98. Levinson said that amount would bring the park project cost up from $3,291 to $4,011.98.
Walters said there was a $120 donation surplus, based on the cost of $3,291 and $3,411.20 in donations collected.
Levinson said there is a shortfall of $600.78 or 15 percent shortfall charged to the borough’s budget to account for employee benefits.
“Expenses for borough employee benefits would have incurred whether they worked on the park, in the sanctuary, on the beach, or in the gardens,” Walters asserted.
“I voted for it because it was presented as ‘budget neutral,’” Levinson said. “These words have a very specific definition to me.” He said taxpayers paid for overhead costs.
Councilwoman Joanne Vaul said no overtime incurred for borough employees and benefit costs are fixed “whether they worked on this project or any other project.”
Walters, Vaul and Councilman Thomas Cope each donated funds to the project, among several other private donations, the mayor said.
“These borough paid benefits are real costs and must be paid, regardless of whether the borough uses third party money or property taxes,” Levinson said.
“While this $600 amount may seem small, I can attest that council members have occasionally questioned expenses of less than that amount.”