Williston Park’s residents got their first look at their village’s proposed budget Monday night.
Village Clerk Kristi Romano provided an overview of the village’s proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The proposed $7,383,751 budget is up $225,444, or 3.15% from last year, Romano reported. She said that beyond basic increases to cover higher costs and salaries due to inflation, there were no factors in particular driving the budget’s increase.
“There’s nothing out of the ordinary this year,” Romano said.
To support the funding of the budget increase, the village proposed a 1.85% tax levy increase, a number under the 2% state-imposed tax cap.
“I’m very happy and proud to sit up here and say we stayed under the 2% cap,” Deputy Mayor Kevin Ryne said, adding that he thanked Romano for her work on the budget proposal.
Williston Park Mayor Paul Ehrbar said the budget needed a few aspects finalized. Due to this, the board approved a motion to reserve a decision, or vote, on the budget until all is finalized.
Romano said it is likely the board will vote on the budget during their next meeting on April 21.
The board then turned to their annual organizational meeting, with Ehrbar swearing in over two dozen appointed village employees and volunteer committee members.
He swore in the appointed, paid village positions performed by the acting village justice, deputy village clerk, deputy treasurer, court clerk, secretary of the board, building inspector and the superintendent of public works, making a personal speech about the importance of each of the individual village employees, many of whom had been with the village for an extended period of time.
Ehrbar then continued to swear in those on volunteer village committees, including three on the beautification committee, six on the historical society committee, one hometown heroes member, five neighborhood watch members, one member on the new resident committee and recreation committee and four on the pool committee.
“The volunteer positions make the village the community what it is,” Ehrbar said. “Those helping out on a volunteer basis any way you can, we appreciate it.”
