The sign outside Esperance Village Hall wished everyone a Happy Easter and lists the 4/13/26 regular meeting at 7 PM when the budget will be voted on.
ESPERANCE- On April 4th at 9 AM, Mayor Royce Gage, Clerk/Treasurer Michelle Parks, and Trustee Paul Roberts conducted an Esperance Village Budget Hearing. Matt Deffer stopped by to deliver the Esperance Fire Department Budget and resident Linda Feuz asked questions about the proposed 2026/2027 budget.
This fiscal year ends on May 31st, so their remaining $33,000 amount will go towards paying bills for these next two months, salaries, and National Grid bills that Parks described as, “sky-high.” After all the bills are paid, Parks specified, “ If we do have money (remaining), we have major building repairs to be looked into.” Roberts said, “We have that cushion so to speak that we’re able to pull from if we need it and we’re not raising taxes.”
“We haven't raised taxes in 3 years,” confirmed Mayor Gage, and Parks added they are very careful with their budget. Proposed taxes for 2026/2027 are $97,000.
“What you’re saying is there’s no increase for the tax base this year; you guys have held the line, and as a taxpayer, thank you,” Feuz offered, and wondered if remaining amounts after the fiscal year could go toward lowering taxes.
Roberts explained numbers in this budget fluctuate from things that can’t be predicted, giving the examples of when labor expenses could have more mowing to cover, unexpected storm damage and emergencies to deal with, needing to pay the County more for plowing, which would put those lines over budget. The remaining budget could also give them the ability to repair more sidewalks they are working on in pieces or work on the many repairs Roberts said Cumpston Street needs, and Feuz added that Feuz Terrace needs to be redone. “ It may seem like a lot right now,” Roberts told Feuz, “But come May 31st, it’s probably going to be considerably different.” By the time April and May’s bills are paid, Roberts estimated there would be closer to $15,000 remaining from the current $33,000 amount shown in the budget proposal.
“Personally,” voiced Roberts, “I wouldn’t take the extra money and say, ‘hey we can lower taxes.’ I would, this is on a personal level and from a business standpoint, I would keep that money because what good would it do to lower taxes the small, little amount that it would need to be lowered, and then possibly the next year only to raise them more than the percentage you lowered them.” Citing how people are always happy to see lower taxes, “But when they go back up, even if they went back up to the same level that they were, people would be unhappy because they would just see an increase. Status quo is better than down, up, down, up, and so on. We all know our school taxes go up every year, land taxes go up every year; if we can have one tax bill that does not go up, that’s phenomenal.”
Feuz agreed and told the officials, “I’ll walk that back then. Don’t lower the taxes because that’s a very valid point. But look at the balance at the end of the year.” The officials noted Feuz’s request to include unexpended details of where the money is going in next year’s budget and to keep an eye out for anything that would require a change with that.
To answer Feuz’s question about why there’s no CHIPS income listed, Parks and Roberts explained the NYS Budget hasn’t passed yet, which school districts and everyone is waiting on to pass, and there is no way to estimate what they will receive for that fluctuating amount based on work done within the Village. Also, the CHIPS Highway Improvement Program has no guarantee of reimbursement for work submitted to it, so they don't like to assume they’re going to have it. “It goes in and out,” confirmed Parks, “Whatever they give us, we spend it.” Unlike State Aid, which they could still budget before the NYS Budget passes from consistent history in past years.
Feuz wanted to know more about proposed salary increases for both the Mayor and Clerk/Treasurer. Mayor Gage and Parks both detailed significant increases in their responsibilities.
Mayor Gage shared, “I’m here five days a week.” Roberts expanded, “I personally feel that that isn’t an issue at all. The amount of time that I see him put in; drive back and forth here all the time, and hours he puts into this, is astonishing for what he gets paid. I personally would think he should get paid more. If you add up all his hours it’s probably about $5 an hour. So, I really don’t feel in this day and age, in the cost of everything, that that small increase is a problem.”
Parks has been logging hours as Clerk/Treasurer beyond the scheduled Thursday 2 - 6 PM shift. Her job includes helping all employees (Museum, Fire Department, etc.) and she has additional meetings by appointment. Parks also comes in four to five days a week to accomplish secretarial paperwork, certifications, and post office errands for the Code Enforcement Officer.
Roberts affirmed, “The reason she’s doing more for the Code Enforcement Officer is because the Code Enforcement Officer that we have now is currently doing 100% more than the prior Code Enforcement Officer that wasn’t doing anything. He’s been able to get things cleaned up and taken care of here. So frankly, if he needs more help by what she’s doing for him, I think we should be happy that he’s getting this stuff done.”
Feuz asked if they compared other salaries in Schoharie County villages. Parks confirmed she did and that anyone interested in doing so can look that information up; everybody’s budgets are posted on the County website.
Parks and Roberts also pointed out it’s difficult to hold each village to the same standard when they are all so different, for instance the Village of Esperance doesn’t have a Highway Department when other villages may.
“Not all villages are created equal,” Roberts discussed, “And just because another village pays differently doesn’t mean they are doing more or less than we are. It’s not the same thing. Just because another village does it one way doesn’t mean we should; doesn’t mean we should pay the same rate, doesn’t mean we should have the same exact budget. It maybe could be used for a slight comparison.”
Feuz was pleased with how the Fire Department's budget looked. It detailed numbers for truck repair, training, physicals, equipment, communications, chiefs expenses, medical supplies, fuel, insurance, contingent, equipment testing, hydration, phone, loan payment, loan interest, and fire/ems. Town of Duanesburg and Town of Esperance FD total expenditures & proposed income both totaled $178,988.56.
The Village of Esperance Budget vote will take place during their regular monthly meeting on April 13th at 7 PM inside the Village Hall (115 Church street).
