Dear Camden Town Residents,
I am writing as Town of Camden Supervisor, on behalf of the Camden Town Board, to respond to statements made in a recent editorial in the Queen Central News titled "A Closer Look at Highway Funding."
Town of Camden taxes are adjusted as needed to balance a budget that reflects the operating expenses of all municipal departments, including the Highway Department, Ambulance, Fire Protection, Planning and Codes, Assessor, Town Clerk, Town Court, Facilities, and Administration. Notably, only about 14% of town revenues come from local taxes and ambulance billing, while approximately 86% comes from Oneida County.
The editorial misrepresents the state's CHIPS funding for local highways. CHIPS stands for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program, a statewide funding program for local street and highway capital improvements. CHIPS provides funds to municipalities like ours for road projects such as resurfacing, bridge repair, and traffic control upgrades. The town does not receive a flat $300,000 per year with matching funds. Instead, New York State provides a funding opportunity of approximately $250,000 to $270,000 annually for qualified reimbursements, such as road paving and large equipment with a minimum ten-year lifespan. Unused funds may be carried forward, and reimbursement is granted only upon submission of paid invoices.
Regarding equipment financing, the former Highway Superintendent authorized the order of a new plow truck for approximately $318,000 in 2025. The Town Board initially sought financing options, securing a rate of 4.95% over ten years. Following the 2026 CHIPS commitment we determined, upon a road inspection, that by postponing the paving of one of five scheduled roads to 2027, the town could utilize state reimbursement funds to cover the paving, shoulder repairs, and the plow truck purchase outright. This saved Camden taxpayers over $89,000 in interest plus the $318,000 principal cost. Additionally, neighboring highway departments—including Oneida County, Annsville, and Vienna—provided supplemental trucking assistance at no charge.
Questions were also raised regarding the county road plowing contract. This long-standing agreement requires endorsement from both the Highway Superintendent and the Town Supervisor. The editorial omitted that the former Highway Superintendent left his position with only two days' notice, leaving the town temporarily unable to sign the agreement. Working with our County Legislator, the town negotiated an extension and a roughly 15% rate increase. The contract has since been signed by the incoming Highway Superintendent and Town Supervisor. Revenue from this contract now covers equipment, manpower, and nearly all annual fuel costs for the town, and 100% of these funds remain in the Highway Department budget.
Finally, regarding the question of financial planning and resources: over the past three years, following at least ten years of no tax increases under prior administrations, the current administration implemented modest, necessary tax adjustments paired with updates to aging equipment and cuts to non-essential spending. Consequently, the board successfully funded numerous requested Highway Department upgrades, including:
* Purchase of an upgraded used grader
* Winter rental of a new front-end loader
* Purchase of an upgraded used front-end loader
* Purchase of a new industrial pressure washer for salt removal
* Purchase of a new up-to-date tractor for roadsides
* Purchase of a new service pickup truck (NYS CHIPS funded)
* Purchase of a used plow and sander from the Town of Smithville
* Two employee pay increases and signing bonuses
* Approval of a four-day workweek during the non-winter schedule
* Purchase of the new plow truck and sander (NYS CHIPS funded)
Camden residents deserve transparency and an accurate assessment of town operations. Over the last three years, the Town Board has held at least 16 public budget sessions, along with formal public hearings for preliminary and tentative budgets each year.
The Town Board and I remain committed to serving our community, keeping the Highway Department fully operational, and managing taxpayer dollars responsibly. Unsubstantiated claims undermine these efforts and discourage civic participation.
As Town Supervisor I came into this position with only good intentions and nothing to be gained personally; as did each board member.
It’s unsubstantiated claims and negative comments like those in the newspaper’s editorial section and on social media that discourage good people from getting involved.
Respectfully,
Daniel Christmas
Town of Camden Supervisor
10/12/2026