On April 8, 2024, there was a public hearing in Maybrook on the budget. Only 5 people showed up. I began to ask questions and was told that the public hearing is not for questions but for comments. The mayor did answer some of my questions, but he is very defensive when he is asked anything related to village business.

The two glaring pieces of the budget for me are that there are ZERO funds budgeted for youth programs. The response was that residents say their kids want to go to Montgomery because that is where their friends are. I can understand that but perhaps if some programs were offered in Maybrook their friends would want to come to Maybrook. Montgomery and Walden have thriving youth programs, summer music programs and a sense of community. I don’t see that in Maybrook and it’s very sad.

The other piece was salaries. According to the budget that was adopted that night the mayor is receiving a 6.8% raise for 2024-2025. In looking at the salaries on the NY State website that publishes salaries of municipal employees, the Mayor of Maybrook’s salary has increased 40.5% over the past 5 years. The mayor of Maybrook is one of the highest paid mayors in the surrounding area. Yet there is no money budgeted for youth. I was told that all other employees are getting a 3% salary increase in 2024-205. I don’t understand how you can take a 6.8% salary increase, give your employees 3% and pierce the tax cap to do it. The mayor has stated in the past that there are no ratables (businesses) in the village and unfortunately the cost of everything falls on the residents in the way of taxes. So while food prices are rising and people are struggling you are okay with taking a 6.8% raise funded by your friends and neighbors?

If more residents would come out to board meetings, ask questions and get involved in their community the budget might include things that are important to them, and not 6.8% raises. I hear a lot of residents say that they are upset that Maybrook is not part of the library system. The response from the mayor in years past is that the cost of joining and hiring a librarian is high. I’m sure that’s true but if that’s what residents want, look into it, review the cost and see where you can cut other places.

The village election was on March 19th and only 80 residents bothered to come out and vote. If you care about where you live and where your tax dollars are spent, go to meetings and let your elected officials know what is important to you. Right now they are going to salaries. Look at the budget that is published on the village website. The numbers are right there.