OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Recently re-elected Town Board members Colleen Yerico, left, and Joe White, right, were happy to approve a tax reduction for Sheridan Town residents in the 2024 Town Budget.

SHERIDAN — The Sheridan Town Board was proud to share that the town’s tax rate has been reduced in back-to-back years upon the approval of the 2024 budget at a recent meeting.

The approved budget includes a tax reduction of 2 cents per $1,000 of taxable assessed value. The town also set aside additional funding for anticipated costs to take legal action against multiple property owners in the town whose properties remain in disrepair. Even with that additional funding allocated, the Town Board approved a budget that was $30,285 beneath the tax cap.

The meeting that included the budget approval took place in the renovated Community Center.

Upgrades to the building will continue to be made, including a door threshold and a dehumidifier for the building. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were utilized to renovate the facility, which was reopened in time for Election Day, where it served as a voting center.

In the Sheridan election, Tom Wik was elected as Town Supervisor and Johnathan Szumigala was elected as Town Justice, as each ran unopposed. Republican candidates Colleen Yerico and Joe White were each elected to remain as members of the Town Board, as Yerico, the incumbent member, led the three Town Council nominees with 467 votes. White, who was recently appointed to finish out the previous term that was opened when Wik assumed the role of Supervisor, received 386 votes to secure the second seat. Yerico and White beat out Sue Bigler, a Democrat, who received 251 votes.

The Town of Sheridan has approved 31 building permit applications over the past two months, including 18 applications in the month of October. Code Enforcement Officer James Crowell said October featured “more applications than any other month as long as I can remember.”

The Town Board is also evaluating the next steps on two solar projects, managed by Erie Coast Solar and by SunEast Development. Representatives from each company were in attendance at the recent meeting.

The Erie Coast Solar project has received its special use permit and awaits Town Board approval of the project’s Decommissioning Plan. Business Development Manager Eamon Riley stated the estimated amount Erie Coast Solar is prepared to contribute toward the decommissioning of the project, which totals $150,000, is “on the higher end” of plans for similar projects.

SunEast Development still awaits its special use permit and hopes to have its engineers meet with the Town Board in the coming weeks. Doug Metzger, a resident of Cook Road; Ken and Tamra Paradisio, residents of Cook Road; and Jay and Erica Carlson, owners of Avid Farms on Newell Road, all recently offered their support of the SunEast solar project.

The Sheridan Town Board will hold a workshop meeting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 22, with the next regular meeting of the Town Board set for Dec. 13 at 7 p.m., at the Community Center.