ALTAMONT — With its new mayor at the helm on Tuesday night, the village board unanimously adopted a preliminary $2 million budget for 2017-18.

“There is no increase in village taxes,” said Mayor Kerry Dineen, noting the budget had been developed in two workshops — the first in February and the second in March.

Villagers will pay $2.73 per $1,000 of assessed valuation next year, the same as this year. The rate stays the same even though the amount to be raised by taxes will increased slightly to $290,000.

At the same time, the overall value of village property went up from $104.8 million to $106.1 million.

Dineen said that the land that the village had annexed for the Bozenkill development increased the village’s property value, helping to keep taxes the same. Also, she noted, there was an increase in sales-tax revenue, which is distributed to municipalities in Albany County according to population.

The general fund totals $1.2 million. The water budget totals $409,111 of which $345,000 is covered by water rents. The sewer budget totals $533,000 of which $483,498 is covered by sewer rents.

The budget gives a 2-percent cost-of-living increase to all village staff and, as of January 2017, a longevity program for staff begins.

Catherine Hasbrouck, the village treasurer, told The Enterprise that, after five years of service to the village, employees have $500 added to their annual salary. After 10 years, $750 is added; after 15 years, $1,000 is added; and after 20 years, $500 is added.

“It’s not retroactive,” said Hasbrouck.

Trustee Nicholas Fahrenkopf praised the village’s “great employees,” meriting the raises and longevity program.

He also said of the budget, “We’re saving some money for a rainy day. The reserve fund, he said, went above and beyond what the state requires.

Hasbrouck told The Enterprise that the state sets no specific requirement for reserves. “Years ago, they said 10 or 15 percent of the general fund. They want you to have a safety net,” she said.

The general-fund reserves are close to half-a-million dollars; the reserves for fire equipment are the largest at $223,598. Over a decade ago, Hasbrouck said, the village started setting aside funds for specific needs; Altamont now has reserves for police cars, the senior van, street repairs, unemployment, and capital improvement, among others.

“That way, we don’t pay interest,” said Hasbrouck. “We’ll have the money ready when we need it.”

She gave the example of the 25-year-old community room, which will need a new roof soon. “There’s over $40,000 in the reserves,” said Hasbrouck.

All reserves, including water fund and sewer fund, total over $1 million.

The budget, Fahrenkopf concluded, “preserved the services and kept the tax rate flat.”

No comments were made at the public hearing on the $2,174,038 budget before the board adopted it.

New year

Tuesday’s meeting started with a festive air as village officials were installed: Dineen as mayor; Madeline LaMountain, Dean Whalen, and John Scally as trustees; and James Green as village justice.

In a single motion, appointments for the village’s new year were made by unanimous vote. This includes one-year terms for Whalen as deputy mayor, Patty Blackwood as deputy court clerk, and Kelly Best as secretary to the planning and zoning boards.

It also included four-year term appointments of Blackwood as clerk and recorder of vital statistics, Hasbrouck as treasurer and deputy recorder of vital statistics, and Best as sub-registrar of vital statistics. And, five-year term appointments of Stephen Caruso to the planning board and John Huber to the zoning board.

The Altamont Enterprise was named as the primary official newspaper with The Spotlight as the alternative. Key Bank, First National Bank of Scotia, first Niagara Bank, Citizens Bank, J. P. Morgan Chase Bank, Kinderhook Bank, Pioneer Commercial Bank, NBT Bank, and M&T Bank were named official repositories.

Barton and Loguidice were named village engineers, and Whiteman Osterman & Hanna were designated as village attorneys.

“This is new to me,” said Dineen at the close of the meeting to the 30 onlookers in the gallery. “It’s nice to have friendly faces in the audience.”

Other business

In other business, the board:

— Heard from Jeffrey Moller, the superintendent of Public Works, that the village water system will be flushed out this week. “Before you do laundry, check the schedule,” he urged;

— Heard that Altamont Community Tradition will hold the annual Green and Clean on April 22, commencing at 9 a.m. in Orsini park. Volunteers — with rakes, shovels, and garden gloves — are welcome;

— Heard from Claire Ansbro-Ingalls and Dawn Gibson, leaders of Kenneth’s Army, a group formed after 5-year-old Kenneth White was murdered on Dec. 18, 2014 in his Knox home. The group’s single annual fundraiser, a motorcycle run, will be held on June 3, starting at Thacher Park.

Urging people to report child abuse, Ansbro-Ingalls said, “It’s better to say something and be wrong than to not say something and be right”;

— Received the monthly fire department report from Chief Paul Miller: a large fire on Prospect Terrace followed by a small rekindle; two false alarms, one on Wormer Road and the other on Maple Avenue; one cooking mishap on Township Road; one chimney fire on Solana Lane, one mutual-aid structure fire with Westmere on Patroon Drive, and one standby in the Altamont station for Knox;

— Received Building Inspector Glenn Hebert’s monthly report, noting three inspections and two permits;

— Approved a six-hour standard work day for the village clerk, court clerk, administrative assistant, and parks department and an eight-hour work day for Department of Public Works and Police Department employees — both for reporting purposes for the New York State Retirement System;

— Accepted Scally’s resignation from the planning board as he is now a village trustee, and acknowledged Dineen’s appointment of Deborah Hext to fill out the rest of Scally’s term, which ends on March 31, 2019;

— Set the fee for the Bozenkill Summer Recreation Program at $65 and the swimming fee for residents at $3, and for non-residents at $5. Altamont children who are 5 and under swim for free as do village senior citizens. There is a $1 charge for non-resident seniors and non-resident children 5 and under.

“The rates have not been raised in years,” said Dineen and a “slight increase” in fees was needed to meet new minimum-wage requirements;

— Authorized Moller to terminate water service on April 11 if payment is not received from delinquent non-residents: Joel Dowling of 933 Altamont Rd., Bruce Stewart of 100 Shady Lane, Joan Johnson of 705 Heather Lane, Steven and Susan Spaccarelli of 6407 Gun Club Rd., Howard Gage of 102 Main St., and Scott and Jodie Rutledge of 1129 Berne-Altamont Rd.

“It’s quite a process before we get to this point,” said Dineen, noting letters are delivered in person pointing out the delinquency;

— Appointed Sean Ralston of Guilderland to a part-time police-officer post not to exceed 20 hours per week at a salary of $15 per hour, as recommended by Chief Todd Pucci. After successful completion of a year’s probation, the salary would increase to $16 per hour; and

— Agreed to a request from the Altamont Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association to hold its annual garage sale along the streets of Altamont and in Orsini Park on Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“It’s one of my favorite days of the year,” said Dineen. “I just love that garage sale.”