The Walden Village Board adopted the budget for Fiscal Year June 1, 2020-May 31, 2021 during their meeting last Tuesday. The accepted budget featured several large increases and decreases throughout each fund.

Total appropriations for all funds for the upcoming fiscal year came out to $11,642,844. Much like the draft shown in March, employee benefits made up the largest portion of the budget, totaling $2,486,867. Public safety also earned a sizable part of the budget, with $2,202,794 being allocated to that fund.

The tax rate per $1,000 of assessed valuation for the ensuing fiscal year dipped slightly from the current fiscal year, going from $17.2729 to $17.2326. Meanwhile the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed valuation for public library services remained the same at $1.416. The total combined tax rate for the upcoming budget was slightly lower than the current one, decreasing from $18.69 to $18.6486.

The funding for the recreation department’s upcoming Harvest Festival is $10,000, which is down from the current fiscal year’s budget of $14,000. Income from the recreation department’s summer camp is also down significantly from the current fiscal year’s total. $97,800 was budgeted for this current fiscal year and only $74,000 is budgeted for the next one.
Each village trustee will make $6,250 for the upcoming year, which is unchanged from this year. Mayor Susan Rumbolt’s salary also remains identical to this year’s, which is $7,750.

Village Manager John Revella will see his wage increase slightly from $104,296 to $106,382. Village Clerk Marisa Kraus will also earn a raise this upcoming year, earning $57,691.

Longtime Walden Police Chief Jeffry Holmes is set to retire on July 17. He will receive $38,165 as a retirement payout.

Though the 2020-2021 budget is not perfect, Mayor Susan Rumbold commended the fund balance.

“If you look at where our fund balance is, I think that’s a credit that has to be given to the manager and the department heads despite some areas where we have an issue,” she said. “To the fiscal responsibility that we do have for our village, the fact that we do have that fund balance should say to the residents and to the Board of Trustees and everyone that works for the Village that we are fiscally responsible.”