Mineola’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve a $28.67 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year with a tax levy increase of 1.79%.

During the meeting, the trustees also congratulated former Fire Chief Andrew Martone for his contributions to the village. 

The tax levy increase falls under the state-mandated tax cap of 2%. 

The $28,665,108 budget is a 2.58% increase in spending from the current year. The next fiscal year begins June 1 and ends May 30, 2024. 

Mayor Paul Pereira said the tax levy amounts to about a $65 increase in village taxes for the average homeowner. 

“I am proud of the budget that we were able to put out this year,” Pereira said Wednesday night. “It is responsible, it is realistic and it maintains the village services that we’ve been accustomed to as well as adding some new items to the budget.”

Pereira previously said during the April 5 meeting that there were many projects the village was looking to begin in the near future, including updating the village pool and making improvements to the playgrounds. 

Earlier this year, the village also finished installing turf on its baseball fields at the Mineola Athletic Association on Willis Avenue. 

The general fund budget will have $22,974,723 in expenses, a 3.2% increase from the current year.  

Water fund expenses are $3.15 million, a 2.5% decrease in spending from the current year. 

The Mineola Memorial Library’s budget is $1.82 million, a 3.4% increase from the current year. 

Appropriations for the village swimming pool are $706,785, a 4.9% increase from the current year. 

Martone was commended for his contribution to the newly built Fire Department headquarters on Jericho Turnpike, which was under construction over the past two years.

“He will technically not be the chief when we unveil the firehouse, but to say he was influential in the beautiful building across the street would be a gross understatement,” Pereira said. “He was absolutely pivotal and still is.” 

On April 10, Deputy Mayor Janine Sartori swore in the new chiefs of the Mineola Volunteer Fire Department. 

Replacing Martone is Chief Domingos Magalhaes. The first and second assistant chiefs of the department are Bryan Strauss and Jack Fernandes, respectively.