Village of Lake George, NEW YORK
Interim Village Dissolution Study

When the electorate of the Village of Lake George submitted a Petition for Dissolution, Village leadership determined that it was important to investigate and understand the implications of a potential dissolution. While state law only requires a Village presented with a petition to develop a Dissolution Plan after a vote in which the dissolution referendum passes, Village officials believed that it was important for citizens to have detailed, accurate, and unbiased information upon which to base their decisions at the polls. Toward that end, they retained Laberge Group to develop an Interim Village Dissolution Study. This study went far beyond the legal mandate to answer as many questions as possible and to provide a thorough assessment of potential post-dissolution conditions, as well as key issues for voters to consider when casting their vote.

An extensive public participation plan was developed and implemented to provide transparency, encourage open dialog, and build consensus. This process included public information meetings, presentations, a website that provided up-to-date progress reports, and an online question-and-answer forum that fielded inquiries. Virtual “Office Hours” enabled community members to ask their questions of Laberge Group consultants by phone or Zoom meeting.

The Study was conducted in collaboration with a Steering Committee and several Subject Matter Sub-Committees. Sub-Committee meetings were an invaluable tool for gathering data, defining services, and obtaining insights regarding service delivery, staffing, and other resource needs that allowed the consulting team to anticipate, and therefore provide plans to help avoid the “bumps, bruises, and pitfalls” of a potential dissolution.

The final Interim Village Dissolution Study provided detailed information regarding representation and governance; implications of a potential dissolution on the regional economy, particularly tourism; the anticipated impact on property taxes; and the provision of services. The Study also dispelled a misconception that there were extensive cost-savings to be gained through shared services, when, in fact, the most impactful opportunities for scale-based efficiencies had already been implemented. It was determined that property tax rates could be significantly reduced during the course of dissolution by selling Village assets and applying them to Village liabilities. Upon reviewing an analysis in a draft of the Study that demonstrated this opportunity for tax rate reduction, the Village Board adopted a resolution to deploy the tax rate reduction strategy irrespective of the determination made regarding dissolution. In the referendum, voters cast their ballots decisively against dissolution.