Supervisor's Tentative 2027 Town Budget

Oct 23

4 min read

The October 13 Town of Wappinger Town Board Meeting was primarily focused on the Supervisor presenting the tentative 2027 budget to the Town Board Members, the Town Clerk and the public. For a complete review here's a link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OxPa1jOvpo beginning at the 4:17 mark.

Highlights from the presentation include:

A focus on affordability, accountability and a responsible investment in the town's future
A balanced budget of $25,053,013 with $9,389,363 (37%) coming from town taxpayers
67% of the budget revenue required will come from sales tax, grants, interest on investments, facility rentals and Federal/State funds
8% of a town resident's total tax bill is for Town of Wappinger Government - the remaining 92% is from other taxing districts like school, library, fire, county taxes
The projected tax levy increase is 1.87% which is below the state tax cap of 2%. It should be noted that many other municipalities project breaking the state tax cap for 2027.
The Supervisor stepped through an example tax bill, explaining the details.
The Town expenses include maintaining 125 miles of town roads, law enforcement patrols, Senior Citizen programs, maintaining nearly 2000 acres of open space, maintenance of town buildings, financial managment team, courts, building department and a recycle center at the town highway garage.
Some of the savings from previous years including bringing more services into town government - like the recycle center roll-off truck and a sign shop - eliminating the need for a third party to perform the serivces.. and the sign shop also brings in revenue when signs for the school district, the village etc are created.
The Code Enforcement department will be introducing a fully on-line permit application process, the inspectors will be using tables -- and this will mean that future records will be digitized -- and with a grant, past records will also be digitized - meaning that storage, maintenance and search costs will be reduced. The saved space will mean that the Building department will be able to expand their window service and create a conference room for that department's use.
Senior Center activities - including the exercise classes - will be expanded
Parks & Recreation will include summer concerts, 2 summer camps and searsonal festivals
Central Park of Wappinger will have an initial investment of $250,000 to continue to remove debris from the property, improve trails and stabilizing the site.
Continued work at Carnwath - improved restrooms
Town Hall improvements will included repairing uneven floors and upgrading outdated service windows.
In 2027 - Town of Wappinger Roofs will be evaluated from the dugouts to Carnwath
New assests for Town Highway Mechanics and a plan for 6 miles of road reconstruction in 2027
Will continue to provide quarterly budget updates

The. Consent Agenda - All Approved

Resolution Adopting Certificate Of Base Percentages, Current Percentages, Current Base Proportions And Certificate Of Adjusted Base Proportions From The New York State Office Of Real Property Services - This means that the town is accepting the formulas produced by NY state in property valuations.
Resolution setting a public hearing for October 26th at the next Town Board Meeting for the purposes of hearing and considering any objections which may be made to the assessment rolls for the Special Improvement Districts ad Areas:

SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS:

United Wappinger Water District

Fleetwood Manor Water District

United Wappinger Sewer District

Wildwood Sewer District

Fleetwood Manor Sewer District

Mid-Point Park Sewer District

The Regency at Wappinger Lighting District

Keenan Acres Drainage District

Blackwatch Farms Drainage District

Meadowood Drainage District

Tuscany Subdivision Drainage DistrictFurnia Drainage District

Chelsea Farms Drainage District

SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT AREAS:

WST/TIA - Phase 3A

Wappinger Sewer Improvement Area No. 5

Wappinger Sewer Improvement Area No. 1

Watch Hill Sewer Improvement Area

Watch Hill Water Improvement Area

Resolution setting a public hearing for October 26th at the next Town Board Meeting for for the purposes of hearing and considering any objections which may be made to the proposed budgets and the proposed quarterly O&M Charges, Rates and Rents to be levied against the properties within the Special Improvement Districts and Special Improvement Areas
- SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS:
  
  Town-wide Ambulance District
  United Wappinger Water District
  Fleetwood Manor Water District
  United Wappinger Sewer District
  Wildwood Sewer District
  Fleetwood Manor Sewer District
  Mid-Point Park Sewer District
  
  Cameli Lighting District
  Chelsea Lighting District
  Hughsonville Lighting District
  The Regency at Wappinger Lighting District
  Keenan Acres Drainage District
  Blackwatch Farms Drainage District
  Meadowood Drainage District
  Tuscany Subdivision Drainage District
  The Hamlet Conservation Park District
  Fieldstone Conservation Park District
  Kendall Farms Conservation Park District
  Chelsea Farms Drainage District
  
  SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT AREAS:
  
  WST/TIA - Phase 3A
  Sewer Improvement Area #5
  Wappinger Sewer Improvement Area No. 1
  Watch Hill Sewer Improvement Area
  Watch Hill Water Improvement Area
Resolution that that all unpaid water and sewer accounts to the Dutchess County Department of Real Property on or before November 2, 2026, to be re-levied upon the 2027 Town and County Tax bills.
The proposed 2027 budgets for the Chelsea and Hughsonville Fire Districts are posted in the correspondance log

Non Consent Agenda - All Approved

Town Board of the Town of Wappinger hereby authorizes an invitation for sealed bids for the Installation of a Hydrodynamic Separator at Myers Corners Landing Subdivision-Miracle Circle - this will be funded by the escrow funds deposited by the developer whose storm water solution is not adequate.
Town Board of the Town of Wappinger authorizes the Wappinger Town Court to apply for a Justice Court Assistance Program grant in the 2026-27 grant cycle up to $30,000.00.