The Berlin Town Council on Tuesday, May 28 will host a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2025 budget during the regularly scheduled 7 p.m. meeting.
Main Street in downtown Berlin is pictured.
File photo
By Charlene Sharpe, Associate Editor
Citizens will have the chance to weigh in on the Town of Berlin’s proposed budget for the coming year at a public hearing Tuesday.
The Berlin Town Council on Tuesday, May 28 will host a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2025 budget during the regularly scheduled 7 p.m. meeting.
“This body has worked very diligently with our department heads and staff to really craft a balanced budget addressing most of what we’d like to see,” Mayor Zack Tyndall said. “I really think this is a good foot forward for Berlin for FY 25.”
Last week, the council introduced the fiscal year 2025 budget for Berlin. The spending plan, which was drafted by the mayor and staff and adjusted by elected officials during budget work sessions this spring, includes proposed revenues of $14,257,116, an increase of 23.8% over the current year.
“The revenues and expenditures are about $14.2 million,” Tyndall said. “Of that $2.4 million is a transfer from reserves and $2.8 million is a bond … for the public works facility. So all in all about a $9 million balanced budget taking those two items out.”
As for the enterprise funds, the proposed electric department budget is $8.5 million, though $1 million of that is a bond for the town’s new AMI metering. The water department budget is proposed at $5.4 million, though $2 million of that is a transfer from reserves. The town’s sewer budget is proposed at $7.1 million with $2.2 million from reserves and the town’s stormwater budget is $1.3 million with $388,000 of that being a transfer from reserves.
The tax rate for the coming year is flat at $0.8275 per $100 of assessed valuation. For a $400,000 residence in Berlin, the annual tax bill at the current tax rate will be $3,310. The town’s net assessable real property base now stands at $551 million.
Tyndall encouraged anyone with questions about the proposed budget to reach out to his office at 410-641-3858 or by emailing mayorzack@berlinmd.gov.
Tuesday’s public hearing will occur during the regularly scheduled 7 p.m. council meeting in the council chambers at Berlin Town Hall.