Birnamwood village board approves 2022 budget

Budget increases about $29,000 from last year
By: 
Luke Reimer
Reporter

The Village of Birnamwood presented and approved the 2022 village budget and property tax levy to the public Nov. 22.

The budget totaled $307, 443, with the tax levy for village purposes at $139,829.

Village Clerk Lauri Klumpyan said the tax levy increased from last year.

“There has been a village increase of 77 cents,” said Klumpyan, to a total increase of $6.21 per tax payer.

Klumpyan said that the village tax rate is $4.38. That means the owner of a property valued at $100,000 would pay $438 in village taxes next year.

She added that the village board has budgeted for various capital projects in 2022.

“We have budgeted for sidewalks, increased ambulance fees and additional village employees,” said Klumpyan.

Village president Mike Sprague said if the village gets a new employee, the health insurance costs will change.

Klumpyan mentioned that the village had budgeted for health insurance benefits for Birnamwood Director of Public Works Chris Jensen.

“We had budgeted for Chris’ and his went down,” said Klumpyan.

Sprague suggested to leave the health insurance where it is and make an adjustment next year, if needed.

In terms of sidewalk repairs, Sprague recommended to budget higher for sidewalk repairs.

“Maybe we can start a program, where we go around and do a matching funds or a partial funds for repairing and replacing sidewalks around the village,” Sprague said. “We were looking for a way to do something like this, and with the money that we are getting from the TID dumped into the general fund, we are coming up with a little extra.”

The board agreed to budget $12,000 for sidewalk repairs and replacements, as well as $6,500 for ambulance fees.


lreimer@newmedia-wi.com