Depew opens, then closes, public hearing on tentative 2025–26 budget; few public comments

The Village of Depew Board of Trustees opened and then closed a public hearing on the village’s tentative 2025–26 budget during Monday’s meeting.

The village administrator said the tentative budget was released as scheduled and copies were made available at Village Hall and online. The administrator said she reviewed line items with department heads and initially identified roughly $194,350 in cuts from last year’s proposal but then added back costs for equipment, building and parking‑lot maintenance and other department requests. She told the board the tentative budget did not use fund balance.

During the hearing, board members noted upward pressures that include union contract step increases, an approximately 18 percent rise in health‑insurance premiums compared with earlier projections, higher retirement contributions and a projected increase in trash costs. Trustee comments emphasized the draft nature of the tentative budget and said further reductions would be explored during upcoming budget meetings.

Resident Brian Uzelak spoke in support of the board’s approach, saying village services remain strong and praising the administration’s efforts to be fiscally responsible. No other public commenters addressed the tentative budget; the board recorded the vote to close the hearing the same night.

The board said additional budget work will continue at finance and special meetings ahead of final adoption. Exact levy and spending totals will be determined when the board votes to adopt the final budget.