Village of Freeville approves 2024-25 budget

The village of Freeville Board of Trustees unanimously approved its budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year at a special meeting last Friday.

Freeville’s new budget totals $611,018.46 in appropriations. Once again, said Mayor Miles McCarty, the budget includes a tax cap under 2%.

The village’s projected total appropriations for the 2023-24 budget was $517,303, almost $100,000 less than the projected appropriations for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Last year, according to McCarty, the tax rate was at 1.2%, which came out to $128,138 in raised taxes.

“It was lower than we expected it to be,” McCarty said, adding that the tax rate has been capped at or around 2% for the past few years.

In comparison to the 2023-24 budget, McCarty said there were minor changes that were left out of the 2024-25 budget. The exclusion of budgeted items helped the village to be under the designated tax cap, McCarty said.

“We left [the items] out because they were budgeted last time and [we] didn’t end up needing it, so we don’t anticipate having to use them in this budget,” McCarty said.

Appropriations in the village’s 2024-25 budget break down to $439,126.46 in estimated revenue, $41,236 for an unexpended fund balance and $132,856 raised by taxes.

“We’re fine with the budget for the village. It was pretty simple to put together,” McCarty said.

McCarty noted that the new budget, or one in the near future, may have funds that could go toward the ongoing upgrades to the wastewater plant on DPW Drive.

The project, which is being directed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), could bring grant funding into consideration, McCarty said.

Freeville’s 2024-25 budget can be viewed in person at the village office at 5 Factory St., or at freevilleny.org.

Dryden Dispatch appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Dryden sports boosters collecting scrap metal in May

The Dryden High School sports boosters are holding a scrap metal drive on May 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and May 19 from noon to 3 p.m. at the high school parking lot at 118 Freeville Rd.

The event will accept aluminum and cast iron furniture, pots and pans, lawn mowers, auto parts, bicycles and more.

All proceeds from the drive will go to Dryden’s sports teams. For questions, call or text 607-279-3241.

Yoga for Life held every Wednesday in Freeville

Village of Freeville resident Michelle Dardia hosts a Yoga for Life session every Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Freeville United Methodist Church at 37 Main St.

The drop-in fee for the session is $10. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Some experience is helpful but not required, as the sessions are committed to being accessible.

Variations and modifications are offered, and extra mats and blocks will be available at each session.

For information or questions, contact Dardia at dollysdaughter@hotmail.com or 607-279-4785.

Meetings for the month of May

The Dryden Town Board is scheduled to meet on May 9 and May 16 at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend in person or via Zoom.

The village of Dryden Board of Trustees is slated to meet on May 15 at 7 p.m. on the second floor at the village hall on 16 South St.

The village of Freeville Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the village hall on 5 Factory St.

Southworth Library to hold ‘Star Wars Day’ celebration May 4

A celebration of Star Wars Day will be held at Southworth Library in the village on May 4 at 10:30 a.m.

The event includes free activities, games and more for families. To register for the event, go to southworthlibrary.org.

Genre-based book club to meet April 28

Books & Brew is scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at the Hopshire Farm & Brewery in the village of Freeville.

The theme for the month of April is “Reading Through the Decades: Decade of Triumph and the American Dream,” with a focus between 1940 and 1959. The club encourages participants to read about that time period, including things, events or people during that period.

For more information about Books & Brew, go to southworthlibrary.org.

‘Paws to Read’ event on May 11

The Southworth Library in the village of Dryden will have its regular “Paws to Read” event on May 11 at 10:30 a.m.

The event invites children to come to the library and practice reading with dogs from the Cornell Canine Companions.

For more information, go to southworthlibrary.org.

Dryden Little League to host golf tournament May 19

Dryden Little League will host a fundraising golf tournament May 19 at 8 a.m. at Stonehedges Golf Course in Groton.

The tournament is in a captain-and-crew format, and the cost is $300 for each four-person team. Funds raised will support the Dryden youth baseball and softball teams and will provide uniforms and equipment for participants.

The tournament includes 18 holes of golf, two carts per team, dinner after golf, door prizes and gift bags. Events during the tournament include longest drive and closest-to-the-pin contests, a $1,000 hole-in-one challenge, a 50/50 putting contest and optional raffles for various prizes.

For inquiries, send an email to golf@drydenlittleleague.com. Tournament registration and sponsorship forms are available upon request.