VOORHEESVILLE — The Voorheesville Board of Trustees at its April meeting unanimously adopted a $2.37 million budget for next year while also authorizing hikes in what customers pay for village-supplied water. 

The budget for next year is down 12 percent from this year — a consequence of major one-time costs (a sidewalk project and efforts to find a new village water source) in the 2019-20 budget not included in the 2020-21 budget and an anticipated drop in sales-tax revenue due the COVID-19 outbreak forcing the village to hold the line on spending.

The tax rate for village residents next year will remain unchanged from this year’s rate of $1.29 per $1,000 of assessed value. In addition, village residents also pay into New Scotland’s townwide general and highway funds at $1.48 per $1,000 of assessed value.

At the April 28 village board meeting, held as a videoconference, Trustee Sarita Winchell said the village dropped its sales-tax revenue projection for 2020-21 by 26 percent, now anticipating $750,000 from Albany County. 

The board of trustees also approved a water-rate increase.

For Voorheesville users, the increase in the minimum charge for the first 20,000 gallons of water supplied by the village will go from $200 to 210.

For non-village users, the rate will go from $400 to $420 for the first 20,000 gallons of water. 

Any water used over 20,000 gallons is charged for the following year. 

The rate increase will be reflected in customers’ annual water bills in June. 

The board of trustees also approved a $20-per-year water-meter fee.

Village water meters are about 15 years old and the technology used to read those meters is being phased out in favor of cellular transmitters. So, whenever one of the old meter heads breaks, it’s replaced with a new cellular one, which costs $200 — the $20-per-year water-meter fee is to help the village slowly recoup those costs over time.