The Town Board began its 2025 budget work on Monday (September 23) with a 6 p.m. meeting on the topics of: Recreation, Assessor, Town Board, Supervisor, Treasurer, Veterans, Seniors, Beautification.

Supervisor Bob Livsey said last week that he will be doing his best to keep the 2025 budget increase under the New York State tax cap, and he plans to guide the rest of the Town Board in that same direction.

In 2024, the board did have to put forth a budget that exceeded the tax cap, due to the July 9, 2023 flooding. Those costs are still plaguing the town, with several of the Bond Anticipation Notes that were initially taken out needing to soon be renewed.

Department heads were tasked with turning their 2025 budget requests to Comptroller Kelly Pecoraro at the end of August. Livsey said they were all directed to keep their requests lean.

“I really believe we can do it,” the supervisor said.

This year, the board worked under an $8,101,671 budget; that spending plan was $237,967 over the tax cap.

The public can attend budget work sessions. They begin at 6 p.m. on September 30, October 7, 14 and 21, and if needed, October 28. If there is a regular meeting scheduled on the same day, the board will move to that agenda at 7 p.m. and resume budget work after the regular meeting ends.

A public hearing on the budget is planned for Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. and the board is expected to adopt the budget on either Monday, Nov. 11 or 18.

The schedule of ‘to be discussed’ areas is as follows:

September 30: Historian, Machinery Repair, Sanitation, Snow Removal, Superintendent of Highways, Engineering, Central Services, Dial-A-Bus, Water, Sewer, Water & Sewer Points

October 7: Police, Dog Control, Emergency Management, Registrar, Town Clerk, Records Management, Town Hall, Codification, Revenue, Legal, Ambulance

October 14: Planning, Tax Receiver, Zoning, Comptroller, Audit, Information Technology, Budget Officer, Building Department

October 21: Library, Court, Fire Department, Association Dues, Insurance, Contingent Account, Light District, Reserve Funds, Salaries, Benefits.