The Newburgh Town Board discussed at their Monday, October 28 workshop meeting the preliminary budget for the Fiscal Year 2025. The town proposes a budget of $61.3 million which is under the New York State-mandated tax cap by approximately $322,000. The combined General and Highway Fund tax rate of $15.64 is approximately 1.54% higher than last year’s rate of $15.41.

Town of Newburgh Supervisor Gil Piaquadio welcomed residents on Monday night to take part in the budget process and have discussion on the items. He was joined by Councilmembers Scott Manley and Anthony LoBiondo. Councilman Paul Ruggiero was absent from the meeting. Other members of the town department staff included Receiver of Taxes Joseph Pedi, Town Accountant Ronald Clum, Parks Commissioner Jim Presutti and Highway Superintendent Mark Hall.

Piaquadio, who also serves as the Chief Fiscal Officer for the town, said he was honored to present the preliminary budget for review. “This proposed budget is a culmination of weeks of work, analyzing and reviewing historical data, trends, and current expenditures along with revenue trends,” said Piaquadio. “The preparation of this budget was a joint effort between the Town Board, myself, and the accountant’s office, as well as all department heads. This budget represents the leadership and our dedication to delivering police protection, well maintained roads, timely public works services, enjoyable recreation opportunities, clean water, and other amenities. The focus was, as it has been in the past, to maintain essential services to the residents of the Town of Newburgh without a drastic increase in the tax rates.”

Piaquadio continued saying the town will maintain a total of 162 full-time employees and 101 part-time employees. The 2025 budget also provides for 28 full-time highway employees. The town budget, he said, enforces the town’s commitment to public safety with 49 budgeted full-time officers and 13 budgeted part-time officers. According to research conducted by the town, Moneygeek.com has reported the town as the 92nd safest Town in the United States. Piaquadio further spoke on the Town of Newburgh’s Youth Officer who teaches DARE [Drug Abuse Resistance Education] to 20 fifth grade classes in five schools and runs a Junior Police Academy during the summer every year.

“Recreation programs remain unchanged with over 24 bus trips planned, operation of Dial-A-Bus, summer camps, and many other special events throughout the year. The construction of the 35k square foot recreation building continues and will be completed in 2025 with funding sources through grants, and park recreation fees,” continued Piaquaido.

The Town of Newburgh Recreation Center is planned for where the old ice rink used to be at Chadwick Lake Park. Construction vehicles are actively working on-site with crews handling various materials and other equipment. The center has been a long-time ambition of the recreation department and town.

“My philosophy, as well as the Board’s, has been to “save for a rainy day, as we strive to maintain a healthy fund balance”. This philosophy has served us well and has allowed us to maintain a healthy financial position with strong reserve levels as confirmed by our Moody’s Aa2 bond rating,” Piaquadio continued. “Recently the New York State Comptroller’s Office rated 100 municipalities for financial stress with zero (0) being the least stressed and one hundred (100) being the most financially stressed. The Town of Newburgh received a rating of zero which is the best rating that can be obtained.”

A hearing on the special districts followed after the budget presentation which was led by Patrick Hines of MHE Engineering where he relayed the various district rates and other proposed changes to the board and public for their review and comments.

Water Charges and Districts - Starting with the town water charges, Water One Charges for 2025 remain at $1.54 per $1000 of assessed value and Water Two Charges for 2025 remain at $2.66 per $1000 of assessed value. For water usage, the first zero to 7,500 gallons of water will be $28 for 2025, a two dollar increase from last year. The next 10,000 gallons will increase from $4.96 to $5.30 per 1000 gallons, a $0.34 cent increase. The next 82,500 gallons will increase from $5.68 to $6.08 per 1000 gallons, a $0.40 increase. Over 100,000 gallons of water will increase from $6.74 to $7.22 per 1000 gallons, a $0.48 increase.
Sewer Districts - Hines continued with the sewer districts beginning with the Meadow Hill South Service Area which will currently pay $3 per benefit unit and will remain the same going into 2025. The Crossroads Consolidated Sewer District usage charge will increase from $6.94 to $8.50 per 1000 gallons, an increase of $1.56. The Nob Hill usage charges will increase from $8.80 to $13 per 1000 gallons, a $4.20 increase from 2024. Hines clarified the costs are associated with work in the system to upgrade that sewage treatment plant with modern permit standards.

The Roseton Hills usage charges will increase from $650 to $800 per 1000 gallons, a $150 increase. Hines clarified that those charges are billed quarterly and the increase is associated with increased costs in the operation and maintenance of the facility and proposed facility upgrades.

For the Laurie Lane Roadway Improvement District, which Hines explained was taken on several years ago, the cost is currently $408.81 and would see a decrease to $367.59, a $41.22 decrease per benefit unit.

Lighting Districts - For the Consolidated Lighting District, it currently pays $0.50 per $1000 of assessed value and will increase to almost $0.64, a $0.14 increase per $1000 of assessed value. The Lakeside Lighting District pays $0.60 per $1000 of assessed value and will increase to roughly $0.64, a $0.04 increase per $1000 of assessed value. The Fleetwood Lighting district currently pays $1.16 per $1000 assessed and will increase to $1.2942, an increase of $0.13 cents per $1000 of assessed value. The West Lakeside Lighting District currently pays $1.35 and is going to be reduced by $0.08 to $1.20738 per $1000 of assessed value. The Colden Park Lighting District currently pays $0.63 cents per $1000 assessed and is increasing to $0.72 cents, a roughly $0.10 cent per $1,000 assessed value increase.

Drainage Districts - With the town’s drainage districts, Hines clarified that these districts are maintained by the town and are associated with the operation and maintenance of the improvements that serve the individual subdivisions. Hines also clarified that Newburgh bids out the costs for the maintenance of the drainage districts which is done on a three year period. The rebidding was conducted this year, which is where the cost increases and decreases come from, said Hines.

Beginning with the Amber Field Drainage District, the charge currently stands at 0 and will remain at 0 which was clarified by Hines that the area is currently maintained by a resident, so there’s no cost to that specific district. The Chesterfield Court Drainage District is currently paying $450 per residential unit and the cost is going to drop by $90 to $360 per residential unit. The Cox Drainage District currently pays $138.46 per residential unit, increasing to $152.31, a $13.85 cent increase per residential unit. The Orchard Ridge Drainage District currently pays $47.50; that’s going to decrease to $46.25, a $1.25 decrease per residential unit. The Autumn Ridge drainage district currently pays $14.29 per residential unit and that will remain the same for 2025, said Hines.

The Fini Subdivision Drainage district currently pays $220 per residential unit and is going to increase to $545, a $325 increase per residential unit associated with additional operation and maintenance in that drainage district. The Woodlawn Heights Drainage District is currently at zero and will remain at zero. The Candlestick Hill Drainage District currently pays $131.47 and that will decrease to $116.47, a $15 decrease per residential unit. The Pinnacle Subdivision currently pays $129.67 and is going to increase to $159.52, a $29.85 cent increase per residential unit. The Mountain Lake Drainage District currently pays $37.74 and will increase to $80.43, a $42.69 cent increase per residential unit.

The Margate Meadows Drainage District currently has no charge and will continue to be no charge. The Blue Sky Drainage District currently pays $330 per residential unit and is going to increase to $718.18, a $388.18 increase. The Tarsio Drainage District currently pays $200 per unit and is going to go to $287.50, a $87.50 cent increase per residential unit and the Tarben Subdivision Drainage District currently pays $150 and is going to be reduced to $131.25, an $18.75 decrease per residential unit.

Ambulance District - Discussing the Town Ambulance District, Town of Newburgh EMS Executive Director Chris Napolitano began with discussing call volumes which have increased over 64% in the last eight years. The agency has also recently been designed as an Advanced Life Support (ALS) agency with 12 paramedics added to the ranks.