Ridgewood Municipal Budget Hearings Begin Monday

The Ridgewood Village Council will be hearing from department heads and top administrators next week as it explores the possibility of submitting a flat budget to the state.

On Monday, several department heads will be submitting their budgetary requests to the council beginning at 8 p.m. The meeting will be held on the third floor of Village Hall, in the court room. The public is invited to participate. Another special meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Pat Mancuso Senior Center (first floor of Village Hall).

At least $500,000 or more would need to be cut if the council is to seek a flat budget or one without any tax increase, Village Manager Ken Gabbert said earlier this month.

The draft he submitted calls for a 1.1 percent tax increase and would necessitate layoffs as well as departmental restructuring. Hitting a zero'd budget would almost certainly trigger greater layoffs.