Falls Village budget vote set for June 6

By Patrick L. Sullivan

FALLS VILLAGE — The public hearing on the proposed spending plans for 2025-26 drew about 40 residents to the Emergency Services Center Wednesday, May 21.

Board of Education Chair Pat Mechare went through the Lee H. Kellogg School proposal and First Selectman Dave Barger handled the municipal plan.

At the May 12 Board of Finance meeting the board reduced the Board of Education’s bottom line by $10,000 and the Board of Selectmen’s by $37,498.

One reduction in the municipal spending plan was in the legal line for the Planning and Zoning Commission. At the hearing, P&Z chair Greg Marlowe asked that some or all of the funds be put back in the spending plan, arguing that once a completed application is accepted the commission has 65 days to make a decision. If no decision is made, the application is considered approved.

He said the commission often needs a legal opinion and that takes time. If the commission has to ask the selectmen and the finance board for additional funds to cover the legal cost, they run into problems with the 65-day deadline.

Marlowe also asked for funds to be restored to the P&Z zoning enforcement officer/planner line.

Andrea Downs asked that $20,000 be restored to the Truck Reserve account. She said the town crew chief, and her husband, Tim Downs routinely saves the town thousands of dollars by performing in-house repairs that keep older vehicles running, but this arrangement won’t last forever.

Peter Jensen rose several times with overall questions about the town’s financial health but his point was consistent. He is opposed to higher taxes.

The finance board met Thursday, May 22 and added $1,000 to the P&Z legal line.

The spending plans for the town budget meeting Friday, June 6 are:

Municipal spending plan totals $2,422,826, an increase of $94,138 or 4.00%.

The spending plan for Kellogg is $2,390,265, an increase of $136,673 or 6.06%.

The Region One budget passed earlier in May, and the assessment for Falls Village is $1,543,685, an increase of $126,422 or 8.92%.

Total education spending would be $3,933,950, an increase of $263,095 or 7.17%.