Menands adopts 2026–27 budget, approves one-time repayments and a 2.5% water/sewer rate increase

The Village of Menands Board of Trustees approved a balanced 2026–27 budget on April 20 and adopted one-time charges intended to address prior-year accounting of water and sewer relevies and an accumulated general-fund deficit.

Don (village finance presenter) told trustees the board’s new municipal accountant found prior-year relevy receipts from Albany County had been posted to the general fund instead of being allocated to the water and sewer funds. The presenter said the water fund is owed $472,100 and the sewer fund $518,440 for the last three years; the board moved to address those amounts in the current tax bill. Trustee discussion and motions recorded in the meeting led to approval of the sewer repayment charge, which was presented to the board as $1.69 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The presenter also described an audited negative general-fund balance of $499,665 and recommended a one-time prior-year deficit repayment to restore reserves. During the presentation the per-thousand figure for that deficit repayment was stated as $163 per $1,000; the motion recorded in the public meeting referenced a per-thousand charge of $1.62. The transcript contains both figures and does not reconcile them; the board nevertheless approved a one-time deficit repayment motion (see clarifying_details for the discrepancy).

To balance the 2026–27 operating budget without using reserves, the presenter recommended an increase in the village property tax rate (from roughly $9.37 per $1,000 assessed value to about $10.9452 per $1,000 in the presenter’s calculation) and proposed a 2.5% increase in water rates for the period May 1, 2026–Oct. 31, 2026. Because the village’s formula ties sewer charges to a share of the water rate (currently 50% of water), the board clarified the 2.5% water increase will effectively increase the sewer portion by the same percentage for most customers. The board approved the water/sewer rate change by voice vote; the change will be applied in the January 2027 billing cycle for the May–October usage period.

Public commenters urged caution on cutting services. Resident Charles Answer, who identified himself as living at 27 Brookside, thanked the board for “a businesslike approach” but cautioned: “Do not gut things that have a long-term reduction in the value of the real estate. Don’t race to the bottom.”

The budget motion passed by voice vote. The transcript records several trustees opposing the budget on grounds including the timing of police-vehicle replacements and non-contractual raises; individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript. Trustees directed staff to implement the approved one-time charges and to post the revised budget documents and supporting charts on the village website for public review.

The board also discussed long-term pressures on the sewer fund driven by Albany County wastewater treatment upgrades and modeling that shows potential large increases to sewer rates in the late 2020s unless additional revenue or other cost-sharing is identified. The presenter said the village is modeling multiple scenarios and will return with further recommendations if additional rate changes or structural adjustments are necessary.