By Chris English
RICHMONDVILLE — Town of Richmondville property owners will have to fit a 2.71 percent Town property tax increase into their 2026 household budgets.
The hike is part of a $1.61 million budget for next year adopted by the town board at its Thursday, Nov. 6 meeting. Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun and Councilmen George Horning, Harry Rode and Todd Sperbeck voted 4-0 to approve the budget. Councilman Eric Haslun was unable to attend the meeting.
Board members cited rising expenses, including an 11.43 percent increase in employee health insurance costs for 2026, as the main reasons for the tax increase.
"It's challenging times," Jeffrey Haslun said. "There are increases in health insurance. We're helping the rescue squad. They are short and in need of assistance. It's a tough year, but I think we've come forward."
In other actions from the Nov. 6 meeting, Jeffrey Haslun reported that an addition to Town Hall is coming along well and scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Board members voted to make a $125,000 payment to the contractor on the $260,000 project once they have an invoice.
Haslun continued that a short-term financing deal that's part of a $12-13 million sewer improvement project is scheduled for a Dec. 4 closing. Board members hope to go out to bid on the project sometime in the next few weeks. Haslun further reported that SEEC (Schoharie Economic Enterprise Corporation) has gotten involved in the town's application for a $4.5 million grant from the New York Forward Downtown Revitalization Program. He said SEEC will support the application and assist in other ways.
If successful on the grant application, Town officials want to use the money to construct a multi-modal trail along the sewer line that is part of the sewer improvement project and also fund other improvements.
Town Highway Superintendent Brian Manchester reported that Schoharie County's $33.6 million broadband project to provide the ability to connect to the Internet for every county resident has caused some not-major damage to a town road. Manchester said he and his crew have marked out the damaged spots. Haslun added that the contractor laying the fiberoptic cable should be responsible for the repairs.
Manchester continued that another new truck for the town if ordered soon would take roughly 18 months to two years to be delivered. He added that it's not possible to get a solid price on a truck that's two years away from delivery.
The town board voted 4-0 to approve a resolution in support of Congressman Nick Langworthy's Energy Choice Act and in opposition to government-mandated natural gas bans.
It states among other provisions that "natural gas remains a dependable, cost-effective and clean-burning energy source used by millions of New Yorkers to heat their homes, cook their food and power their businesses."
Haslun said that approving the resolution does not mean the town board is taking a position either in support or in opposition to natural gas as an energy source.
"People ought to have a choice, that's all I'm saying. We just want to give people their voice," he said.
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