AGAWAM — The City Council unanimously approved the $132 million fiscal year 2025 budget on June 17. Councilor George Bitzas was absent, though he, too, had supported it in past meetings.
“This is the second good thing we have this year,” said Council President Rosemary Sandlin at the June 17 meeting. “We now have a school and a budget. Thank you, Mayor Johnson.”
The budget is $4 million larger than the FY24 budget, a 3.6% increase, said Mayor Christopher Johnson in a presentation May 20. The FY25 school budget is $51.9 million, up 3.78%. The FY25 tax levy is $75.3 million, a 2.5% increase. The levy limit is $91.2 million, leaving $15.8 million in excess levy capacity.
Among its increases is a raise on veterans spending by 16.49%, and on public safety by 5%. The Police Department will use its increase to buy two new tasers and to replace three marked cars and two undercover cars. The Fire Department will use it to maintain its current staffing levels.
The capital improvements budget increases spending on street and infrastructure improvements by $100,000, or 20%, and allocates $250,000 for sidewalk rehabilitation. There is also $500,000 for equipment for the DPW, and money to replace a fire truck and firefighting foam that contains PFAS.
It also appropriates $300,000 to the Capital Stabilization Fund, which will be used to offset the tax increases from the new high school’s bond payments, Johnson said.
As well, stormwater was moved from a line item to its own cost center. Johnson said this was to bring attention to the stormwater projects in town that need to be addressed.
In May, councilors praised the budget for its fiscal conservatism. No councilors proposed any changes during a June 3 public hearing, nor at the June 17 meeting.
Resident Corinne Wingard, the only member of the public to speak on June 3, also praised it.
“I’m just so impressed with how well it’s been done,” she said.
However, she showed concern for seniors’ ability to pay their taxes. She said Agawam’s property tax work-off program for seniors and veterans is good, but the town needed to look into other options for seniors who have too high an income to qualify for it.
Public safety donations
In other business, the City Council accepted a gift of $46,995 from resident Linda Edelman in memory of her sister, Carol Taylor, who was the town accountant and city auditor for more than 47 years. Taylor died in 2020 at the age of 79.
The money will go to the Police Department, who will use it to purchase a vehicle for its DARE anti-drug awareness program.
Johnson, who worked with Taylor the first time he was mayor, in the 1990s, thanked Edelman for her donation. He said Taylor was one of the nicest, most genuine people he’s ever met, and was someone who deeply cared for Agawam.
“I just want to publicly thank Linda for her very generous donations, but I also want everyone to remember how special her sister was,” he said. “There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t think about C.T. and miss her.”
Councilors Sandlin, Robert Rossi, Anthony Russo and Maria Valego also thanked Edelman for her donation.
The City Council will vote on another donation from Edelman at their next meeting. This one, for $34,791.75, will go to the Fire Department for a cardiac monitor and defibrillator, and an automatic CPR machine.
Concluding the meeting, councilors Edward Borgatti, Thomas Hendrickson and Valego praised the Vote Yes for AHS committee for its hard work and passion in promoting the new high school. The town voted “yes” on the bonding for the $230 million project in the June 11 special election.
“We may see some new elected officials down the road out of some of that group,” said Borgatti.
Borgatti also commented on the opening of two new pickleball courts at Borgatti Field, which was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 12. The park is named after his father, who helped purchase the land for the park.
“I was with my sister there, and we were saying how proud my father would be to see how that park has really grown and it’s really in beautiful shape,” he said. “That’s a credit to so many people, I wouldn’t even know where to begin and who to thank.”
