Millbrook approves budget, $5.10 mill rate

MILLBROOK — The proposed town budget for 2024-25 was approved by unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on Wednesday, April 10, following public hearing.

No comments on the budget were offered by residents at the hearing, although a letter was read into the record urging continued attention to wages paid to town employees.

The budget has been the subject of numerous meetings. As approved, expenditures will total $2,238,291, an increase of $118,813 over the current year. For the coming year, the water and sewer budgets are separated from the overall budget as they rely upon their own revenues to balance expenditures.

Village Mayor Tom Collopy had distributed a newsletter summarizing and clarifying the budget for residents in advance of the hearing. The budget and the newsletter are posted on the town website.

The budget will require a 2% increase in the tax levy ($23,901) to total $1.1 million, just under the tax cap. Millbrook Village received $1.1 million from property owners in the form of taxes paid, and the remaining $1.1 million comes from other sources.

Residents can expect a 1.4% increase in the current mill rate of $5.03 to create a new mill rate of $5.10 for each $1,000 of assessed property value.

Salaries will see a general increase of 3%, excepting any employees who received an increase during the past year.

Two major street resurfacing projects are anticipated during the summer. Washington Avenue will be repaved and Maple Avenue will receive a treatment of oil and stone.

Following the budget approval vote, the Village Board voted in favor of increasing the sewer use rate from $9 to $9.90 per 1,000 gallons. The rate increase anticipated critically-needed repairs to the processing systems in upcoming years.

The next regular meeting of the Village Board is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, at the firehouse, beginning at 6 p.m.