The Stanford Town Board adopted its 2027 budget, extended a moratorium on battery energy storage systems, and proposed a property tax exemption for permanently disabled veterans at its Oct. 8 meeting.
The adopted budget keeps the town’s property tax levy increase below 1%, avoiding the need to override the state tax cap, despite a roughly 6.9% increase in spending.
Town Supervisor Julia Descoteaux said appropriations are expected to increase from approximately $4.83 million in 2026 to $5.16 million in 2027. Strong revenue this year, combined with careful spending, gave the town a cushion for next year’s budget, she said.
The town expects to raise approximately $2.268 million in property taxes, compared with $2.247 million in 2026, an increase of 0.9%, Descoteaux said.
General fund revenue is expected to increase by 10.4%, from $1,355,243 in 2026 to $1,496,216 in 2027, driven in part by building permit fees, mortgage taxes, and employee medical contributions, Descoteaux said.
“Revenues are currently outpacing our estimates while expenditures are coming in slightly below expectations. What that means is that, at the end of the year, we have a little bit of a surplus and we put that into what’s called our unappropriated fund balance,” Descoteaux said. “It basically says, I’m going to use the money that I’ve gotten reserved and I’m going to put it towards the next tax year.”
The budget allocates $860,000 for ambulance service next year, the town’s largest single expense, an increase of $110,000, or 14.7%, from 2026. Descoteaux attributed the higher cost to the town’s low call volume and limited Medicare reimbursements.
General fund appropriations are set to increase by 7.6%, from $1,803,211 in 2026 to $1,940,585 in 2027. The budget includes a $33,680 increase in transfer station costs and an additional $10,000 in capital expenses for the Haunted Fortress to ensure the site meets safety standards.
The budget for legal expenses and settlements in the assessor’s office doubled from $20,000 in 2026 to $40,000, as the town anticipates more property owners challenging their assessments, Descoteaux said.
Highway fund spending is expected to increase by 4.2%, or approximately $57,000, largely because of rising fuel costs, Descoteaux said. Fuel expenses are projected to increase by $16,500, or 46.5%, from 2026. The department’s snow removal budget also includes a combined $14,500 increase for salt and sand.
Separately, the Stanford Fire Company is scheduled to hold a public hearing on its proposed 2027 budget at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the firehouse.
The Town Board also introduced a resolution to establish a property tax exemption for veterans determined to be permanently and totally disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans must have been honorably discharged to qualify. If approved, the exemption would apply to 2028 property taxes.
A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for the board’s next meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12.
In other business, the board voted to extend its moratorium on battery energy storage systems and wind energy systems for a third year as it awaits updated safety standards from developers, Descoteaux said. The moratorium was originally adopted in 2024 for one year and extended in 2025.
The board also declared Stanford a “Purple Heart” town and plans to install brass plaques at the Bangall Veterans Memorial and Town Hall. An unveiling ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at the memorial.
Board members and residents celebrated the designation with a round of applause for Town Clerk Ritamary Bell, who secured a $6,000 Dutchess County grant for the project.
Descoteaux said the board plans to hire a consultant next year to conduct a transportation planning study of the town center. The study will examine lighting, signage, road visibility, traffic flow, and pedestrian safety.
The study will be funded by the Dutchess County Transportation Council, Descoteaux said, with the town’s newly formed Road Safety Committee serving as a community partner.
The board also authorized Descoteaux to make a $5,034 payment to Taconic Engineering for a driveway permit related to a curb cut outside Burdick Park on Route 82.
Additionally, the board approved one more floating holiday for town employees, bringing the total to seven, and appointed Miranda Koch as assistant court clerk.