(April 20, 2017) The Town of Berlin released preliminary details of its $8.06 million fiscal year 2018 general fund budget during a work session at Town Hall on Monday night.
Berlin Mayor Gee Williams said department heads and the town administrator had worked for the last several months to prepare the draft. The meeting on Monday was for review by the mayor and council.
“[The approach] was to hold the line wherever possible and cut if we can,” Williams said on Monday. “What this preliminary general fund budget process seeks to do is simply [provide] an ongoing commitment … to take care of our immediate needs while also planning for the future.”
The general fund was about 10 percent less than the previous year, in large part because of the $2.75 million purchase of the Berlin Falls park property in 2017. The big-ticket item this year is a $2.5 million new police station, which Williams said would be paid off over a period of 10-12 years by casino revenues.
The budget draft includes a $97,000 increase in property tax revenue, estimated by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation and based on the current tax rate of 68 cents per $100 of valuation, set in 2012.
Two consultant studies were included in the budget, to update water and sewer rates and create a prioritized list of town-owned streets that are in need of repairs.
The Town of Berlin workforce would also get a wage increase under the budget draft, accounting for $102,003.
During the session, the mayor, council and staff also discussed changes to workman’s compensation insurance, new security procedures related to technology and updates related to the new police station, which broke ground this year near the corner of Flower Street and Route 376.
Williams said, on Tuesday, the budget had no real surprises.
“[The draft] is basically a continuation of what we already started over the last couple of years, but nothing really new,” Williams said. “Everything in that budget, as far as I can see, has been some things that we’ve been either considering, studying or taking actions for the last, at least, two-to-three years.”
A work session for the utility fund portion of the budget will be held on Monday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
After that, Williams said the town would advertise in local newspapers and hold a public hearing on June 12. The council would then vote on whether to adopt the budget.
Berlin Mayor Gee Williams said department heads and the town administrator had worked for the last several months to prepare the draft. The meeting on Monday was for review by the mayor and council.
“[The approach] was to hold the line wherever possible and cut if we can,” Williams said on Monday. “What this preliminary general fund budget process seeks to do is simply [provide] an ongoing commitment … to take care of our immediate needs while also planning for the future.”
The general fund was about 10 percent less than the previous year, in large part because of the $2.75 million purchase of the Berlin Falls park property in 2017. The big-ticket item this year is a $2.5 million new police station, which Williams said would be paid off over a period of 10-12 years by casino revenues.
The budget draft includes a $97,000 increase in property tax revenue, estimated by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation and based on the current tax rate of 68 cents per $100 of valuation, set in 2012.
Two consultant studies were included in the budget, to update water and sewer rates and create a prioritized list of town-owned streets that are in need of repairs.
The Town of Berlin workforce would also get a wage increase under the budget draft, accounting for $102,003.
During the session, the mayor, council and staff also discussed changes to workman’s compensation insurance, new security procedures related to technology and updates related to the new police station, which broke ground this year near the corner of Flower Street and Route 376.
Williams said, on Tuesday, the budget had no real surprises.
“[The draft] is basically a continuation of what we already started over the last couple of years, but nothing really new,” Williams said. “Everything in that budget, as far as I can see, has been some things that we’ve been either considering, studying or taking actions for the last, at least, two-to-three years.”
A work session for the utility fund portion of the budget will be held on Monday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
After that, Williams said the town would advertise in local newspapers and hold a public hearing on June 12. The council would then vote on whether to adopt the budget.