Village OKs fund balance purchases

The Belgium Village Board last month approved buying several items for nearly $22,000 using its fund balance account usually reserved for emergencies and unexpected expenses.

The items included $6,500 for shoulder repairs on Jer Mar Road, $5,000 for a snow pusher, $2,500 for banners, $2,000 for a water heater for Village Hall, $2,000 for digital timer locks for restrooms in village parks, $1,500 for garbage cans in those restrooms, $1,000 for a fertilizer spreader, $600 for brine valves and $500 for a speed limit sign that allows data collection.

That brought the fund balance account from 30% to 25% of the village’s operating budget. The village’s financial advisor recommends 10% to 25%.