Suffern trustees hold hearings on 2025–26 tentative budget and water, sewer rates; both proposed at 0% increase

The Village of Suffern Board of Trustees opened and closed public hearings on the proposed 2025–26 tentative budget and on water and sewer rates, each of which was presented to the board with a 0% increase.

Mayor Bill George and Treasurer Greg Smith said the tentative budget as presented reflects a 0% increase for the year; Mayor George noted he is “still considering some payroll adjustment for department heads and others which will not affect the 0% budget.” Greg Smith and trustees answered questions from board members as they prepared the tentative budget.

Both hearings were opened during the meeting and closed after trustees said there were no public comments. The transcript records the board closing each hearing and taking no final adoption vote at that time; the tentative budget was submitted for the board’s consideration and further action at future meetings.

Trustees and staff also discussed upcoming grant applications linked to capital work. Treasurer Greg Smith said the village is preparing a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application for repaving West Park Place and Meadow Avenue; he said that application is due at the end of April. The board received grant funds recently, Smith said: a $200,000 state and municipal facilities grant through DASNY for a garbage truck and $172,459 in CDBG funds for Parking Lot A. Smith said the receipts total nearly $400,000 that have flowed into village accounts in recent weeks.

No substantive public comment on either the budget or the water and sewer rates was recorded in the meeting transcript.