OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Silver Creek Mayor Jeff Hornburg, left, and Deputy Mayor Kathy Tampio, right, introduced the preliminary budget at a recent meeting of the Village Board.

SILVER CREEK — The Silver Creek Village Board has its work cut out for the next few weeks as it looks to reduce the upcoming year’s budget to stay under the tax cap.

The Village Board presented its tentative budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which showed an increase of approximately 65 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The Village Board has proposed exceeding the tax cap of $1,145,000 by $14,192.

“The Village will be working diligently to reduce this,” Mayor Jeff Hornburg said of the tax rate increase.

The tax rate was proposed at $13.76 per $1,000 of assessed value. The assessed value of taxable properties in the village is just shy of $81 million.

Deputy Mayor Kathy Tampio later stated, “It is very doable that the budget will be under the tax cap. … That’s my commitment to the budget for the village.”

The water fund is listed at $1,105,518 and the sewer fund is listed at $743,100. Together, the two accounts – separate from the Village’s General Fund – amount to $1,848,618.

The Village also heard comments from Anna Frederickson, a Silver Creek resident, who again spoke on property upkeep in the village. Frederickson urged the village to enact community caretaking procedures to hold village residents accountable for their properties.

“I think people ought to take more pride in their properties,” Frederickson said.

Mayor Hornburg responded, “I don’t disagree with you at all. We will continue to strive to make it come to light.”

Town of Hanover Supervisor Lou Pelletter, a former Silver Creek Police Chief, stated that he is urging the code enforcement office of the Town of Hanover to issue citations for properties in violation of the code. He said, “I think the code is on your side.”

Village Trustee Dwayne Haskins thanked Pelletter for speaking on the matter. “Getting this ball rolling with cleaning this village up is huge. It’s been a long time coming,” Haskins said.

Pelletter also stated he hopes to pass a resolution to hold a public hearing on the proposed merger of the Sunset Bay and Silver Creek fire departments in the coming weeks. He hopes the merger will be completed later this year.

The Village Board also approved the elected officers of the Silver Creek Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Brandyn Griewisch. The Board also authorized Mayor Hornburg to file a letter of intent for the village to participate in the Pro-Housing Communities Program.

Renewal agreements with NOCO Energy at variable rates for natural gas and electric for the village were also approved by the Board. The purchase of various picnic tables from Jamestown Advanced Products, at a cost of $3,382.82, was also approved.

The next Mobile Food Pantry event, sponsored by the Silver Creek Food Pantry, the Village of Silver Creek, and Feedmore WNY, will be on Tuesday, April 29 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the village municipal parking lot. The event is free of charge to residents of Silver Creek and other nearby communities.