Millbrook approves $1.18M village budget

MILLBROOK — Following weeks of budget review, the Board of Trustees unanimously adopted the proposed 2025-26 expenditure budget at their regular meeting on Wednesday, April 9.

Budget totals indicate that $1,181,167 is to be raised by property taxes. No public comment was offered at the public hearing that preceded the vote to adopt.

Mayor Peter Doro reviewed the areas of increase that resulted in a 6.2% overall rise in expense, although he noted that the percentage represented a reduction from earlier budget workshop versions that projected a 9% rise. To reach the lower percentage, Doro said that $22,000 in expense savings were identified. For example, rather than paying overtime to employees, employees will take compensatory time off equal to their overtime hours.

A major contributor to the budget increase was a 26% increase in insurance costs.

“We achieved a good balance,” Doro said of the budget, thanking all village departments and former mayor Tim Collopy for assistance with the long process marked by hard work and flexibility.

The new mill rate will be $5.38 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, an increase of 28 cents per thousand over the current year.

The Trustees also approved the annual budgets for Water and Sewer district users. The water budget totals $822,900, up from the current year’s $768,764; the sewer budget totals $870,200, up from the current year’s $778,972.

The 2025-26 budget is posted on the village website at www.villageofmillbrookny.com.