ALBION — With the village’s fiscal health on the line, the Board of Trustees gathered Tuesday night for a marathon special meeting focused entirely on the nuts and bolts of the upcoming budget. While the public attendance was sparse—only two residents were listed in the official attendance log—the work done inside Village Hall will directly impact property tax bills and water rates in the coming year. Mayor E. Dean Javier Jr. called the meeting to order at 6:07 PM. Trustees arrived in a staggered fashion, with Trustee Riley arriving shortly after the start at 6:13 PM and Deputy Mayor Bennett joining the dais at 6:23 PM. The primary item on the agenda was a detailed review of three specific department budgets: Code Enforcement, the Fire District (PCF), and the Water Treatment Plant (WTP). According to the minutes, the board reviewed the financial requests for the Code Enforcement Department, which is overseen by Chris Kinter. Code enforcement remains a hot-button issue in the village, where officials have grappled with maintaining aging housing stock while ensuring safe living conditions. The board also scrutinized the budget for the Water Treatment Plant. The minutes specifically note that WTP Superintendent Levi Boyer was involved in this portion of the review. Water infrastructure is a critical expense for Albion, and any changes to the WTP budget often trickle down to user rates for residents. Additionally, the board reviewed the budget for the Fire District, referred to in the minutes as the PCF (Protection Contract Fund). Fire protection services typically represent one of the largest line items in the village tax levy. The meeting stretched for over three hours. There were no public comments recorded in the minutes regarding the budget figures during the session. Trustees eventually wrapped up their financial deliberations, with Trustee McMurray making a motion to adjourn at 9:21 PM. The motion was seconded by Trustee Gabalski and carried unanimously. With the budget review now complete, the board is expected to schedule further discussions to finalize the spending plan before the new fiscal year begins. Residents will have the opportunity to comment on the final budget proposal during a public hearing, which is typically held prior to the final adoption vote.