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Canton presents a conservative 2024–25 budget amid lost mill revenue; resident questions repair priorities
Summary
Finance Officer Natalie Walker presented a cautious 2024–25 budget that accounts for lost mill revenue, warning "it was going to be a difficult year." Planning Board member Jeanne Forrest questioned repair sequencing for the Armory and Colonial Theatre; staff explained the theatre's repairs are costlier while armory repairs could return revenue sooner.
The Canton Town Board heard a presentation and public comment on the proposed 2024–25 budget at a public hearing opened by Alderwoman Mull at 6:50 p.m. on May 23.
Finance Officer Natalie Walker led the budget presentation and said the plan was prepared "with direct need to keep the Town and its services going at our current level" following lost revenue from the mill closure. Walker described department requests as conservative and told the board "it was going to be a difficult year," while offering ideas for additional revenue generation.
During the public comment portion, Jeanne Forrest of the Planning Board asked why the Armory — damaged in the 2021 flood — would be repaired before the Colonial Theatre. Walker and board members explained that repairing the Colonial Theatre would be more extensive and expensive, and that repairing the Armory sooner would allow that facility to begin generating revenue for the town.
The board closed the public hearing at 7:24 p.m. and resumed other agenda business. No budget ordinance vote was taken at the May 23 special called meeting; the town intends to continue consideration of the proposed 2024–25 budget at a future session.
