By TOM KANE

NARROWSBURG - Town of Tusten officials expect a small increase in property taxes in the new 2001 budget.

"If taxes goes up, it will be in the area of two percent," said Tusten supervisor, Richard Crandall. The town budget is still in process and may change in the ensuing weeks, he said.

The reason for the rise in budget and taxes are many: a 16 percent rise in hospitalization cost for employees, the rise in energy costs, a three-percent increase in contractual obligations to employees and the 12.5 percent local share of the FEMA subsidy to pay for damages to roads and bridges caused by the August 11 storm, he said.

Highway superintendent Skip Feagles said he was not able yet to put an exact price tag on the damage caused by the storm.

Crandall said the general fund will go up 4.7 percent to $336,075. Last year it was $332,591. The highway budget will see an increase of 3.9 percent, up to 454,866. Last year it was $442,278. The increase would have been greater if it were not for the Weiden Lake project, which added to the total taxable assessed valuation of property in the town, he said.

A public hearing on the tentative budget will be held at 7:00 p.m. on October 23.

In other town matters, the board called for a public information meeting to be held at 7:15 p.m. on November 13 to get the public's reaction to the possibility of closing the transfer station. Attending the meeting will be several garbage haulers who will inform residents of their services.