M'burgh Village Begins Budget Talks

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - As October rolls around, it is budget season in the Village of Middleburgh.

Village board members were given copies of proposed budgets at a special meeting Monday. The budgets includes sections on the general fund, water and sewer spending.

After handing out the proposed spending plans, Mayor Tim Knight asked board members to review them and come back with questions and suggestions at the budget workshops on October 6 and 20.

Thus far, there is a slight increase in the water rates and a decrease in the sewer rate due to refinancing the loan.

Trustee Bob Tinker is worried that there may not be enough funding in the water budget because of recurring water main leaks and the need to replace lead pipes in the village.

"I don't want to get caught with our pants down again," he said.

With an aging water infrastructure, water main failures have kept the village DPW busy in recent years.

"It's nickeling and dining up to death. Where are we going to steal the money from this time?...It's robbing Peter to pay Paul."

He suggested putting extra funds in the water budget to meet those costs.

"It's a lot of money and everything keeps going up and up," Trustee Tinker noted. "It seems like we're always under the gun on where to find the money."

Mayor Knight noted that the village currently has $25,000 in the water repair fund which has been depleted after purchasing a new dump truck in 2023 that was partially paid for from the water budget and a new generator for the water plant in 2024. The preliminary budget for 2026 has roughly $15,000 budgeted for the water repair fund to replenish it, the Mayor added.

The sewer fund is in better financial shape, officials noted.

He also noted that the water line study being done will help with locating main, shutoff, and, eventually, costs.

Mayor Knight said the current budget plan has a surplus of $4,000.

A public hearing will be held in November before being approved that month.