By Michelle O’Riley

VOORHEESVILLE — The village board has unanimously approved a $2.2 million budget for the fiscal year beginning June 1. That is a decrease of $200,000 from last year’s budget of $2.4 million.

According to Mayor Robert Conway, the village is suffering from budget pressures such as increases in energy and fuel costs. Some of the increases this year were beyond the village’s control but must be accounted for, explained Village Clerk-Treasurer Linda Pasquali.

Most of the revenue for the village’s $1.3 million general fund will come from the county sales tax and from local property taxes. The county sales tax was budgeted at $775,000, a 3-percent increase from last year. However, the village is not sure if it will be losing some of this revenue due to the recent sales tax law passed by New York State, Conway said. This new law, according to State Taxation and Finance, went into effect on April 1 and eliminated the 4-percent sales tax on purchases of clothing or footwear under $110.

Next year, property taxes are to contribute about $133,000 in revenues. The tax rate is estimated at 99 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The village maintains one of the lowest rates in the area, said Pasquali.

The water fund for 2006-07 is about $715,000; the fund for the first sewer district is about $198,000; and for the second sewer district is about $7,000.

Challenges

Some of the challenges in next year’s budget were paying for new storm-water expenses along with major projects like the Guilderland interconnect and firehouse renovations, said Pasquali. Storm-water expenses increased due to new management laws that now state all municipalities are required to implement their own laws regarding storm-water issues. The Guilderland interconnect project was budgeted at $200,000, which will include a water connection and water-main improvements between the village of Voorheesville and the town of Guilderland in case of emergencies. Firehouse renovations were budgeted at $1,200,000.

The village’s $2.2 million budget also includes an 8-percent increase in metered water sales. The village recently lifted its water moratorium to include non-village customers.

A 7-percent decrease in refuse and garbage along with a 5-percent decrease in playground and recreation-center costs is also part of the budget. There will now be a charge of $5 for children of village residents and $10 for children of non-village residents to use Voorheesville summer recreation programs.

According to Conway, the budget framers tried to be realistic and address the current needs of the residents. The board went through and looked at things more carefully this year to create a more accurate budget, said Pasquali.

Other business

In other business, the village board at its April meeting:

— Authorized Lamont Engineers to begin taking bids for the Guilderland interconnect;

— Declared the village lead agency in permitting water users service into the village water district;

— Heard about a preliminary proposal from R. Mark Dempf of Vollmer Associates for E.W. Tompkins to build 80 to 100 residential units on 77 acres on Foundry Road. The discussion included new zone changes, access to water, on-site sewer and wetlands present on the property;

— Heard a proposal from Richard Reilly, a New Scotland town councilman, for co-sponsorship with the town for summer theater. According to Reilly, Capital District Theater would like to use the village gazebo for several Shakespearean plays in July. A music festival will be held on July 22;

— Was asked about crosswalk signs for village roads. Concern was expressed that drivers are ignoring the current crosswalks; and

— Presented an award to former mayor and current village trustee, John Stevens, for being a devoted public servant from 2002 to 2006.