Amenia Town Board schedules 2025 budget hearing for Nov. 7

AMENIA — Following continuing discussion on the details of the 2025 Preliminary Budget proposal, the Town Board at its meeting on Thursday, Oct. 17, voted unanimously to schedule the annual public hearing for Thursday, Nov. 7, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.

Under town law, the public hearing must be scheduled for the first Thursday following the general election that will occur on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The town is required to adopt its final budget for 2025 on or before Wednesday, Nov. 20.

To view the preliminary 2025 budget in advance of the public hearing, go to www.ameniany.gov.

Explaining the impact on the local mill rate, Director of Finance Charlie Miller reported that a tentative rate for 2025 would be 2.10262 mills, with all proposed revisions taken into account from previous budget review sessions conducted by the Town Board. The 2024 rate was 1.93296. The increase in the mill rate amounts to 8.8%.

The increase is largely driven by the substantial effect of projected increase in cost for ambulance service, Miller said, although noting that negotiations are ongoing. The projected debt service for the new town garage is already included in the budget, Miller said.

Brief discussion centered on the Building Department’s request for a town vehicle for use by the Building Inspector, who now uses his personal vehicle for his official duties. The question was whether the vehicle presents a sufficient benefit to the town’s residents.

Councilman Paul Winters felt that the vehicle use could be scheduled in such a way as to produce revenue for the town in increased regulation enforcement. As the board thought it would be useful to hear Councilman Brad Rebillard’s opinion on the issue, and as he was absent from the meeting, further discussion was postponed.