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Malden Board of Public Works approves 2024–25 amended budget, forwards 2025–26 proposal to city council
Summary
At a June 10 special session, the Malden Board of Public Works approved an amended 2024–2025 budget and approved a 2025–2026 proposed budget to send to the City Council; the board discussed refilling a service technician position and noted union wage increases and a director wage adjustment were not included in the proposal pending negotiations.
The Malden Board of Public Works met in a special-called session Tuesday and approved an amendment to the 2024–2025 budget and voted to forward its 2025–2026 proposed budget to the City Council for final approval.
Board President Clark Duckett called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. and the board conducted roll call. After City Administrator and Utility Director Ivone Smith reviewed line items and noted the amended 2024–2025 budget includes May and June estimates, Board Member Loughary moved to approve the amended budget and send it to the City Council; Board Member Stone seconded and the motion passed.
The vote followed a brief exchange about outstanding recommendations the board had approved earlier in its process. Board Member Loughary asked Mayor Denton Kooyman whether the board-approved recommendations on the director vehicle and utility bills had been presented to the council. Mayor Kooyman said he had not presented them yet because “I want to get a committee to look at the budget for a long-term plan and plan what honest adjustments, not drastic adjustments can be made.” He also said the city intends to refill the service technician position and described staff being pulled from other departments to cover service calls.
Director Smith clarified details of the 2025–2026 proposal, saying, “The Utility Tech position is included in the 2025/2026 proposed budget.” She added that proposed union wages for Water/Wastewater employees are not included because the union committee is still negotiating a contract and that a Utility Director/City Administrator wage adjustment is likewise not included in the proposed budget.
After that discussion Board Member Stone moved to approve the 2025–2026 proposed budget as presented and send it to the City Council; Board Member Woods seconded and the motion passed. The special session adjourned at 5:30 p.m.
Next steps: both approved budget items will be considered by the City Council for final action; the mayor indicated he plans a committee review before presenting certain board recommendations to council.
