This is a Board-Initiated Dissolution process. The Village Board of Trustees voted to explore the option of dissolution of the Village government, which would result in absorption of governance and services by the Town of Addison. The development of a Village Dissolution Plan will provide information regarding the probable impact of a potential dissolution on issues ranging from continuity of governance, to tax rates, to service delivery. Once the Draft Plan has been completed, it will be available for both the Board and Village residents to consider.

Should the Board decide to accept the Plan, thereby advancing the dissolution process, Village residents will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not to dissolve the Village in a referendum.

In accordance with New York General Municipal Law (GML) Article 17-A §774, the Board of Trustees of the Village is required to prepare a Dissolution Plan under a Board initiated process. As mandated by Article 17-A, the Plan will include the following information:

1. The name of the local government entity to be dissolved.
2. The territorial boundaries of the entity.
3. The type and/or class of the entity.
4. A fiscal estimate of the cost of dissolution.
5. The entity’s assets, including but not limited to real and personal property, and the fair value thereof in current money of the United States.
6. Any plan for the transfer or elimination of public employees.
7. The entity’s liabilities and indebtedness, bonded and otherwise, and the fair value thereof in current money of the United States.
8. Any agreements entered into with the Town in which the entity is situated in order to carry out the dissolution.
9. The manner and means by which the residents of the entity will continue to be furnished municipal services following the entity’s dissolution.
10. Terms for the disposition of the entity’s assets and the disposition of its liabilities and indebtedness, including the levy and collection of the necessary taxes and assessments therefore.
11. Findings as to whether any local laws, ordinances, rules or regulations of the entity shall remain in effect after the effective date of the dissolution or shall remain in effect for a period of time other than as provided by GML Article 17-A §789.
12. The effective date of the dissolution.
13. The time and place or places for a public hearing or hearings on the proposed dissolution plan.
14. Any other matter desirable or necessary to carry out the dissolution.

The Village Dissolution Plan will also provide information regarding the probable impact of a potential dissolution on issues ranging from continuity of governance, to tax rates, to service delivery.

General Municipal Law (GML) Article 17-A lays out the legal process for a Board initiated dissolution. In accordance with Article 17-A, the Village Board must accept by resolution the Village Dissolution Plan in order to further the dissolution process. To learn about the full process of a Board initiated dissolution, click HERE.

The Town of Addison will have no vote in the Village’s dissolution process. This is considered a local government decision. Only Village residents that are legally registered to vote in the Village of Addison are eligible participate in the referendum and vote.

Check this website periodically for updates. Information should also be available on the Village’s website.

Yes. Please use THIS LINK , then select “Villages Dissolved Since 1900” to access the New York State Department of State’s list of dissolved villages.

Should the residents of the Village vote to dissolve the Village, there will no longer be a Village government. As such, all services and governance will be provided by the Town.

If the Village does not vote to dissolve, governance and service delivery remain the same as it is today.

Dissolution does not affect school or county taxes.

We are unaware of the existence of any statewide historical research on the post dissolution impact on taxes for village and town residents. However, each Village that has dissolved is required to have developed a dissolution plan that details the projected impact on Village and Town tax rates as well as identifies the anticipated Citizen’s Empowerment Tax Credit. Please feel free to peruse two samples at:

Village of South Nyack Dissolution Plan –  https://labergegroup.com/southnyack/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/FINAL-Draft-South-Nyack-Dissolution-Plan-06.03.21.pdf

Village of Mastic Beach Dissolution Plan – https://labergegroup.com/masticbeach/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mastic-Beach-Dissolution-Plan-FINAL-DOCUMENT-2017-03-16for-Upload.pdf

The Rockefeller Institute of Government has prepared a basic comparative look at the Village Dissolution in Ohio and New York which can be found at https://rockinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/OH-NY-Village-Dissolutions-001.pdf

70% of the CETC must be applied post dissolution to reduce the town-wide tax levy.  The town has the discretion as to how to use the balance 30% such as purchasing equipment. The town could choose to apply the full 100% CETC to reducing the post dissolution town-wide tax levy.  Because we are just beginning the analysis, we have not calculated what a potential town-wide tax levy would be nor the impact on a village property taxpayers and town outside village taxpayers. Once the analysis is completed, we can provide an estimated impact on village property taxpayers.

It is too early in the study process to answer your question as to the school resource officer. It has to be determined at a later date as it is part of the bigger decision on how law enforcement services will be delivered post dissolution.

We are unclear as your question “What would the breakdown from Village to Town to Borough be“?  However, the final plan will detail what services the Town will provide, what services may be lost, and the cost impact on both the current Village property owners and the current Town property owners.

If the Village residents chose to dissolve, the Town will be the governing entity as there will no longer be a village government after the date of dissolution. Yes, the Town is required to govern the entirety of the area within its boundaries. How the Town chooses to provide services will be up to the Town Board.

The Village of Addison Board of Trustees has not taken a formal position yet on whether or not to dissolve. In response to the notification of the pending submission of a petition to dissolve the Village, the Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to begin Board Initiated Dissolution Process.  A board initiative dissolution  process affords the public more time to understand the process, the impact on taxes, and the potential change in both the delivery and level of local services. The process includes the development of a DRAFT Proposed Dissolution Plan which is then followed by a formal public hearing to solicit citizen input.  After the public hearing, the Board of Trustees can then amend and adopt a final proposed plan and call for a referendum on the question: Should the Village of Addison Dissolve OR the Board of Trustees may opt to stop the process. The Proposed Plan document developed under Article 17-A of the General Municipal Law will provide residents with unbiased information from which each resident can form their own opinion.

The Village and Town of Addison have not yet discussed law enforcement in a post-dissolution scenario. Please check back at a later date to learn about the impact on law enforcement should the Village residents vote to dissolve.

The Village and Town of Addison have not yet discussed fire and ambulance services in a post-dissolution scenario. Please check back at a later date to learn about the impact on law enforcement should the Village residents vote to dissolve.

The Steering Committee has three primary functions – 1) to provide input on the current state of services in the Village and Town, 2) to provide input on the potential post-dissolution service delivery model, 3) to review the Dissolution Plan and forward a final plan to the Village Board for review and endorsement prior to a Public Hearing.

Steering Committee meetings are not intended to be open to the public and will be held via zoom as needed throughout the plan development.

We are not aware of any NYS reports that provide the information you have requested. In 2019 Rockefeller Institute of Government authored a policy brief that can be found at https://rockinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dissolving-Village-Government-in-NYS.pdf