MASSENA, New York (WWNY) – A proposal to use nearly $2 million in unused town funds to reduce Massena’s $5 million debt to the state pension system was rejected by the town board in a 3-2 vote.
The town owes the money to New York state’s retirement system after Massena Memorial Hospital was sold in 2019. While the sale ended the town’s hospital operations, officials remained responsible for the pension debt because hospital workers were town employees.
Massena made its first payment of about $383,000 this year as part of a 30-year payment plan.
Former Deputy Town Supervisor Patrick Facteau proposed using unused town funds to pay down the debt, which would have saved taxpayers about $156,000 per year.
“When you take that kind of a…