Apr 23, 2025
OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Brocton Mayor Craig Miller referred to the Village’s tax increase for the 2025-2026 fiscal year as “modest.”
BROCTON — With the added costs to the Village of Brocton from taking on its own water service with the Town of Portland, the overall budget of the Village has increased substantially. However, the tax rate itself will only see what Mayor Craig Miller defined as a “modest” increase.
The Village Board approved the 2025-2026 budget at its April monthly meeting. The Village Tax Rate will be $9.855 per $1,000 of assessed property value, an increase of four cents per $1,000 from the previous year. The Village will collect $265,122 in taxes for the General Fund, an increase of just over $400 from last year.
The Water Fund is allocated $1,396,967, compared to last year’s amount of just $314,669. Now that the Village of Brocton and the Town of Portland are handling billing of its water service, the Village’s expected water revenue is over $1.3 million. Unreserved funds in the amount of $35,384 are allocated to the Water Fund.
The Village’s Sewer Fund is allocated $495,884 in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget, up from last year’s figure of $467,000. The Village’s expected revenue is $492,000, with the remaining $3,884 coming from unreserved funds.
The Village’s Electric Fund is allocated $1,051,155, a decrease from last year’s figure of $1,064,006. The Village anticipates revenue of $967,000, with the remaining $84,155 coming from unreserved funds.
Employees of the Village of Brocton across all departments will receive a 4% pay increase.
Prior to adopting the budget, the Village Board entertained public comments from the audience. Among those to speak was David Travis, President of the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation (NCCF). Travis discussed the formation of a community donor fund between Brocton and Portland that could be established through NCCF.
Travis initially presented the idea to members of the community at 21 Brix winery in Portland. Members of the community could donate to the fund to be distributed through an endowment. At least $10,000 must be collected through donors to establish the fund, which would be held by NCCF. Travis suggested the Village and Town form a committee, representative of the Village and Town, to begin the process.
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while,” Travis said. “We’re finally at the point where we’re trying to get it going.”
Also at its recent meeting, the Village Board approved the allocation of $500 to be used to sponsor a summer concert at Ryckman Park through the Ahira Hall Memorial Library. The Board approved the same allocation a year ago.
The Village of Brocton also hopes to establish a Farmers’ Market in Brocton. Trustee Drew Ransom suggested the idea and Mayor Craig Miller mentioned there have been discussions on the matter in the past. “If we can just get it rolling with the right connections, we’ve got nothing to lose,” Miller said.
The Village Board also hopes to establish a cleanup day in the village with volunteers from Brocton Central School. Kasey Doino, a Brocton student, offered to help spread the word at the school. The village wide Arch and Seller Days will be June 6-8.
Also of note in the Village, four permits were issued in the month of March with one violation notice issued. The Brocton Fire Department responded to 23 calls in the month of March, along with four calls for mutual aid. Two new members of the Fire Department were approved by the Board. The Board also authorized Rich Lewis, Waste Water Treatment Supervisor, to attend training for an enhanced water license.
The next meeting of the Brocton Village Board is set for May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Village Hall.
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