SHERMAN — At their regular meeting April 14, Sherman Village Board members approved a 2021-22 budget in the amount of $995,553, which includes a tax levy increase of 2.27%, but for most residents, a decrease in their tax bill.

Sherman Mayor Colleen Meeder told board members that, because of a large amount of new value in taxable assessments, most residents should see their tax rate decrease by about 44 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

“Unless you have done renovations or had a market adjustment, you will actually see a reduction in your tax bill,” Meeder said.

The overall assessed value throughout the village increased $1,369,156 Meeder said, while the tax levy is being increased by $5,715. At the same time, the tax rate decreased from 10.75 per $1,000 of assessed valuation down to 10.32 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, she said.

Meeder said the village could have raised the levy last year by $13,000, which would have been more than 6.5%. However, because the board did not raise the levy, “that opportunity has slipped away,” she said. “We’re back to square one.”

Jeanette Ramm, village clerk, said the board decided not to raise the levy last year because of the pandemic.

“We were very, very cautious,” she said. “COVID was going on and people were out of work.”

Meeder noted that, in regard to the water and sewer budgets, the village is not making any changes at present time.

“We are not changing anything right now with water base or use charges,” she said. “Only the sewer base charge, which was scheduled to increase $4. in August, with no change in the use charge.”

In other business, Jay Irwin, chief wastewater operator, reported that plans for the wastewater plant improvement project are proceeding with construction slated to begin in June or July.

“We walked around with a representative from the Seneca/Iroquois Nation to make sure everything is acceptable, because of the close proximity to French Creek,” he said. “And it’s all good.”

Irwin also talked about the possibility of purchasing a trackless vehicle for the village. A trackless vehicle has many attachments that make it a multi-use piece of equipment. It can be used as a sidewalk plow, snowblower, ice breaker, boom flail mower, rotary finishing mower, pick-up sweeper, leaf loader, and even a stump grinder.

“A trackless vehicle will allow for us to do a multitude of jobs,” Irwin said. “And with the property we’re going to be acquiring, we’ll have a lot more mowing to do.”

Irwin told board members that trackless vehicles are available used for about $25,000. Purchasing one of these would eliminate the need to buy another mower and it would replace the sidewalk plow, he said.

Irwin also reported that 212 water meters have been installed and the village is waiting on the last 100, which are on back order.

“As soon as we get them, we’ll get back to installing the meters,” he said.

In another matter, Meeder updated board members on the village Comprehensive Plan. The steering committee will meet on April 26, she said, and will then post a draft of the plan on the village website on May 17. An open house to review the plan will be held on May 24 at 6 p.m. in the fire hall, she said.

“Then we’ll be approving the comprehensive plan,” she added.

Also, in regard to the stormwater project, the village has secured $3.5 million stormwater long-term financing at 1.25% from USDA-RD.

“This is huge!” Meeder said.

In a related matter, Meeder reiterated that contractual bids for the $2.4 million water improvement project were awarded to JD Northrup and BECC Electric. Because the bids came in far under budget, Meeder said, the village can reevaluate the materials and the scope of the project, she said.

“It will allow us to do things we weren’t going to do before,” added Irwin.

In other business, board members scheduled a public hearing for May 5 at 6 p.m. to review the revised local law which regulates solar energy.