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Greenburgh town board presses for clearer budget tables as departments present requests
Summary
At an Oct. 14 pre-budget hearing, department heads presented line‑item requests while board members asked the controller to add an 'adopted budget' column to distinguish transfers and revisions; the supervisor reiterated a proposed 2.9% wage guideline for next year's budget.
The Greenburgh town board on Oct. 14 held a pre‑budget hearing in which department heads outlined requests for 2026 and board members pressed for clearer, more transparent budget tables. Chair (speaker 1) opened the meeting by calling the session "an opportunity for department heads to give us their wish list" while reminding the board that the supervisor must propose a budget by Oct. 30 and the board must approve a final budget by Dec. 20.
Why it matters: Board members said the packet's "2025 revised" column blurred whether figures reflected adopted amounts or later transfers, making it hard to judge line‑item variances. Controller (speaker 10) and members agreed to add an adopted‑budget column so the board can compare what was originally approved to year‑to‑date actuals and revised totals.
The discussion highlighted repeated points of confusion about presentation, not policy. The receiver of taxes (speaker 3) told the board her departmental total rose 3.2%, largely for salaries and printing; several members asked for cross‑references to adopted 2025 amounts to determine whether transfers or reclassifications explain the differences. Committee member (speaker 6) suggested explicitly showing the adopted amount alongside revised and year‑to‑date actuals so "we could see whether or not a line is overspent, underspent."
Supervisor guidance and limits: The chair said the proposed municipal wage increase in the supervisor's draft will be capped at 2.9% across departments; department requests remain departmental requests and the board retains authority to accept, reject, or modify them when it adopts the budget.
Next steps: The controller agreed to add a column showing the adopted 2025 amounts and to provide clearer footnotes indicating which 2025 lines were amended or carried over. The board later moved into an executive session on personnel matters and appointee interviews after presentations concluded.
Ending: No formal appropriations were adopted at the hearing; the supervisor will present a proposed budget by Oct. 30 and the board will reconvene during the formal adoption process.
