The town of Clymer was presented with the preliminary budget for 2025 during the October meeting. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

CLYMER — Higher costs and large factors for those higher costs were the main topics of conversation, as the 2025 preliminary budget was presented to Clymer Town Board recently.

Budget Officer Reilly Enlow presented the budget to the board, beginning with a summary of the 2025 budget. The total tax cap amount is $569,627. Large factors that have been taken into account for the 2025 budget include health insurance, retirement, personnel costs, and water. All four areas have seen some increases.

“The large personnel cost is due to adding a deputy town clerk, which was not budgeted in 2023 or 2024, as one was appointed in 2024,” Enlow said.

Another additional cost for personnel was the addition of a part-time operator to help with water because of the current water operator also being a highway employee. Town Supervisor Brian Willink said current water operator, Kevin Damcott, is a full-time highway employee and that the addition of the current water project is going to stretch out his time.

“As we get going on this water improvement project, I’ve got to think that his time is going to be tugged in two directions, right up to the summer time when we’re busy,” Willink said. “So, obviously we can account for his pay through the water district. What we can’t account for is his actual labor on the highway side.”

Willink said money has been included in the budget to hire someone at least on a part-time basis to help with whatever may be coming up throughout the summer next year. He added the money — which totaled $100 — may not get used but he wanted it to be there to prevent someone getting caught by surprise if something came up.

Enlow reported that overall the town has healthy fund balances including in the general fund, highway, water, light and cemetery funds. The additional higher costs of health insurance comes from having two more employees and a 15% raise in health insurance costs across the board for everyone. Retirement is calculated by the state so Willink said there was nothing to be negotiated with that. He said personnel will be minimized as much as possible, and that there is an increased cost because of new IT systems.

“Other than that we are talking a few $100 here and a few $100 there,” Willink said. “There isn’t anything that’s really radically different from what we’ve budgeted for.”

Willink said the budget has been reduced in some areas, as the town is down to one crossing guard in front of the school after the second retired, and that everything else has pretty much stayed the same. Willink added that there are three or four potential tax rate plans they could do, and Enlow said there is a possibility to change the health insurance plan.

“Again, this is potential, it’s a budget,” Willink said. “I’d rather be a little more conservative, and if we don’t end up using it next year we can give it back next year. But, costs do continue to rise, as we all know.”

The vote on the official budget will take place at the November meeting, following a public hearing. There are also two new trucks coming down the line to be included in the budget, and the board discussed a potential grant for the town clerk to help change some of their information from paper to electronic.