The Albion Village Board gathered for a special workshop session at Village Hall on Wednesday, March 5, to continue the difficult work of hammering out the village’s finances for the coming year. With the next fiscal year on the horizon, Mayor Eileen Javier Jr. and the Board of Trustees focused their attention on two specific operational areas: the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Village Cemetery. While the meeting agenda listed "Review Budget" under the cemetery department, overseen by Jason Zicari, and the DPW, led by Superintendent Jay Pahura, the deliberations took place largely out of the public eye. Wednesday’s meeting highlights the quiet, procedural legwork required before the village adopts a final spending plan. Budget season in Albion typically requires the board to balance rising operational costs—such as road maintenance, which falls under the DPW, and grounds maintenance at the cemetery—against the tax levy and state-mandated tax cap. According to the official minutes, the public portion of the meeting was brief. After the Pledge of Allegiance, the board immediately turned its attention to the financial review. Unlike regular business meetings where department superintendents often give public reports or residents voice concerns during open forums, the minutes indicate no public discussion was held regarding specific line items for the DPW or the cemetery prior to the board exiting the public chamber. The meeting minutes note that the board remained in session for two and a half hours, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. However, the public record does not contain details regarding the specific dollar amounts discussed, potential tax rate changes, or whether cuts were proposed during the executive session. In New York State, public boards are permitted to enter "executive session" to discuss the proposed acquisition, sale, or lease of real property, or to discuss proposed financial strategies or preparations for ongoing contract negotiations. While the general policy of the state’s Committee on Open Government advises that budget discussions should generally be held in the open, boards often enter executive session to discuss personnel matters related to the budget, such as specific salaries within the DPW or cemetery department. Public attendance was light, with only one resident recorded as being present for the start of the meeting. The session adjourned at 8:30 PM following the executive discussion. The vote to adjourn was unanimous, carried by Mayor Javier and Trustees McMurray, Bennett, Riley, and Gabalski. Residents can expect the board to schedule further public budget workshops or a public hearing on the final budget proposal in the coming weeks before the fiscal year begins. As the process moves forward, specific numbers regarding village spending and tax levy limits will become available in the public budget documents once the board votes to introduce the final spending plan.