Brockport sets public budget hearing

Knowing the village is facing a "tough budget year," according to Mayor Josephine Matela and trustees, board members have scheduled a public information hearing.

The hearing is scheduled for March 26 at 7 p.m. at the village hall. The meeting will give the public the opportunity to hear preliminary figures and give an idea to the amount of increase they may see in their property taxes.

At the March 18 regular board meeting, the hiring of an additional police officer was approved even though budget figures had not been finalized. The hiring of the officer was heavily debated at the board meeting because as trustee Morton Wexler said, "the village is in the midst of a difficult budget process."

There was concern about hiring in one sector of the village operations while possibly facing layoffs in other sectors.

Following public comment on safety and security issues, it was decided at that meeting to hire the additional police officer regardless of the budgeting process.

As of Thursday, Village Treasurer Scott Rightmyer had no preliminary figures available. While village officials know taxpayers will definitely be facing increases in their tax rates, Rightmyer said he couldn't release even preliminary budget figures. "Right now we are still putting numbers together in order to have everything ready for Tuesday's meeting," he said.