By Joseph Haney Goshen’s Town Council held a special meeting last Monday to review the town’s proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year, unanimously approving the proposal for a public hearing next week.
The proposed budget anticipates $289,820 in revenues and expenses for the upcoming fiscal year. Most of the town’s taxes and utilities saw higher than budgeted income in the 2024-25 fiscal year and are thus budgeted higher. Revenue from local sales tax is budgeted at $41,600 after the town received more than $39,600 last year when they’d budgeted for $38,000. The town has also budgeted for $12,000 in miscellaneous income, up from last year’s $5,500.
The town is also expecting much higher revenue from bulk water sales, budgeting $2,000 for FY 26, an increase of $1,700 from last year’s budget. The primary reason for the increased income is the anticipated return of the train excursions, though no formal announcement had been made about them as of press time. Additionally, the town saw $15,595.27 in income from water revenues from large businesses, well over the $9,000 they’d originally budgeted. For the upcoming fiscal year, the town is budgeting for $14,500.
The town is also anticipating receiving a $50,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to be used for technology upgrades to the town. The town is planning to divide the funds between two projects: $40,000 will be put toward upgrading the town’s water meters and the remaining $10,000 will go toward upgrading technology for the town office.
Several expenses for the town are expected to increase in the next fiscal year. The town has budgeted $9,500 for electric bills for the town office, nearly double the $5,000 budgeted in FY 25, after spending more than $9,800 throughout the year. They’ve also budgeted $10,000 for a financial review as a step toward receiving the grant money for the proposed community center. The town has also budgeted $2,000 for general maintenance and repairs, up from $500 in FY25.
Several expenses are expected to largely decrease as well. The largest decrease is in water line repairs, where the town spent $445 of the $84,900 they budgeted in FY 25. For the upcoming fiscal year, the town is budgeting $4,000. The budget for chemicals and lab fees for water testing is also decreasing, from $7,000 in FY 25 to $4,250 in FY 26. Heating costs for the old town office is budgeted at $500, down from $2,000 in FY 25. The town has also decreased the budget for general maintenance from $4,000 in FY 25 to $2,000 in FY 26.
Vice-Mayor Steve Bickley moved to approve the draft budget and advertise for a public hearing, which Council Member Mike Hicks seconded. The public hearing will be
