Budget Stays Under Tax Cap
by Doug La Rocque
At its Thursday, October 22 meeting, the Berlin Town Board set its preliminary budget for 2021, which increases taxes by 24 cents per thousand of assessed valuation. The proposed tax rate is now at $18.51 per thousand, if the budget is approved at the board’s November meeting.
Speaking with The Eastwick Press, Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger said not everyone got what they wanted, but they put the money “where it needs to be.” To keep under the tax cap, the Board agreed to take monies out of the unexpended fund balance because, as Supervisor Jaeger put it, with the financial challenges COVID-19 has placed on our taxpayers we felt it was important to keep the tax rate as flat a possible. Moving the money was “the right thing to do.”
The Board has scheduled a public hearing on the budget for Thursday, November 12 at 6:30 pm.
Ambulance Monies And Moves
Supervisor Jaeger confirmed the board approved the purchase of a surplus ambulance from the Hoosic Valley Rescue Squad for $13,500. The Town will spend another $4,000 for its certification. That ambulance will be available for the Grafton Rescue Squad to use when it responds to calls in Berlin, and will be housed in a garage at the municipal complex. The Supervisor also reported the Town now has two Emergency Medical Technicians and a driver within its borders, who are members of the Grafton Rescue Squad and will be able to respond to calls with the Berlin based ambulance. The Board earmarked $61,000 as its share of the expenses for a daytime tri-town ambulance, which has been proposed for many months but the details of its potential expenses are still a topic of discussion for both the Petersburgh and Grafton Town Boards.