Town of Port to hold Nov. 12 hearing on budget

Town of Port Washington residents will have their chance to comment on a proposed $910,600 budget for 2026 during a 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, public hearing at the Town Hall.

The town would need to levy $491,000 to support the budget, an amount electors are being asked to approve following the public hearing.

The budget itself is expected to be approved by the Town Board when it meets in December.

The town’s general fund balance is projected to be $348,000 at the end of 2025, which town officials called a healthy amount.

At an Oct. 27 board meeting, officials decided informally to reserve $90,000 for repairs to Woodland Road and to put some money aside to repair the Lake Drive storm culvert, a project expected to cost $200,000.

“Having this amount of money, it’s our responsibility to do some of these things,” Supr. Gary Schlenvogt said.

Officials noted that the town has lost about 1,900 acres this year, land annexed to the City of Port for a data center. The town had received about $16,000 annually in taxes from that land, Town Chairman Mike Didier said — an amount offset by a $150,000 payment from the city. The town will receive that amount annually for five years.

Town officials agreed to set that money aside in a segregated account. Didier said he believes it should be used to pay for any incidental expenses when the city extends sewer and water into the Knellsville area, such as hooking the utilities up to Town Hall.