Town of Pelham 2025 Proposed Budget: Town Budget Memo 2025 In recent discussions, the Town Council carefully reviewed and ultimately voted to break the tax cap to present the 2025 town budget. This decision was not made lightly, but it was necessary to cover critical increases in costs that affect the community’s essential services and operational needs. To provide context, the 2024 budget appropriations were $6,703,375.16, with revenues of $3,364,559.48, resulting in a need to raise $3,338,815.68 through taxes. For 2025, the town’s total appropriations have increased to $7,182,220.84, with projected revenues of $3,254,981.29. To help offset this, $280,000 is being drawn from the town’s fund reserve, but the amount to be raised by taxes will still increase to $3,647,239.55—a necessary rise to maintain vital town operations and improvements. Key areas requiring this additional funding include: Police Facility Renovation: $100,000 is being earmarked for capital improvements for our town hall which are critical to maintain and upgrade the facilities when the Village of Pelham Police department relocates to the new Village Municipal center in 2025. We are also actively seeking grant money to assist us with the costs of this necessary project. Ambulance Contract: Includes an increase by $64,000 – This is a contractual expense for timely, quality emergency medical services for all residents. Library Budget: Includes an Increase of  $54,000 – Supporting our library services, a community hub for education and resources, remains a priority for the town. Insurance: Rising costs include a medical insurance increase of 10% and a liability Insurance increase of 15% Mandated Retirement and Employment Benefits: Increased by $44,500 – As mandated costs rise, meeting these obligations is essential to support our employees’ future financial security. The impact taxpayers can expect is as follows: 2024 Tax on a home assessed at 1 Million  was $754.78 (homestead) 2025 Tax on a home assessed at 1 Million is $777.37 (homestead) The increase is $22.59 The Town Council will hold a budget hearing on Monday, December 2nd at 7pm on the 2nd floor of Town Hall. All residents are invited to review the preliminary budget and be heard during public comment. Preliminary Budget 2025  

Town of Pelham

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A Message of Thanksgiving from Pelham’s Town Board

 

We wanted to send you all good wishes for a Happy and safe Thanksgiving. This wonderful community has come together in so many ways to  work tirelessly in seeing us through these difficult times.  From our community partner, Pelham Together who has gone over and beyond the call of duty: from sewing face masks when there was a dire need; to helping deliver food to the needy; to providing information about mental health support services—we are so grateful to have them in our community. The Town Recreation Department was nimble to recalculate their offerings to run a modified camp this summer, and continued programming throughout the fall, despite all of the difficult restrictions.  The library and other Town services pivoted quickly, and managed to continue to operate through most of this COVID-19 pandemic because of the dedicated employees who want nothing more than to serve our community.  Our court personnel, with the tremendous help from our Town Constables, have been able to operate court in a smooth and orderly fashion.  And lastly, the team at Town Hall have succeeded at continuing to offer the services our residents need from marriage licenses to running a successful election.      

It seems, however, that without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic is going to get worse before it gets better.  We ask that everyone continue to support our community and those in need all around us.  We also ask that you continue to take the precautions you have been doing these many months—because it has worked.  Our numbers have stayed down and we have not yet been deemed a cluster zone. Please stay vigilant over the coming holidays, for yourself, your neighbors and your community.  We are ever hopeful that 2021 will be a dawn of a new day for this community and this country.  With the positive news of the vaccines on their way, the end is in sight. We just need to get there—together.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Dan McLaughlin

Rae Syzmanski

Kristen Burke

Tim Case

Maura Curtin