After the Bangor Village Board approved the 2010 budget at a special hearing last Friday evening, it appeared that some residents will get a little relief on their village tax bills for the coming year.

The tax rate, which was $20.94 per thousand dollars of assessed value last year, will drop to $18.50 in 2010. The change is the result of revaluation undertaken this fall.

After the revaluation, the total assessed value of the village of Bangor went up about $8 million — from $57 million to $65 million.

The higher assessments for properties within the village, plus the fact that the 2010 village budget was relatively unchanged from last year, resulted in a lower tax rate.

“We really didn’t change much of anything from last year,” said Greg Peterson, president pro tem of the village board.

The local levy for 2010 was capped at $326,322, as opposed to $305,356 in the 2009 budget. Total expenses for the village are projected to rise from $677,211 in the 2009 budget to $681,592 in the 2010 budget.

“The biggest increase looks like it’s going to be in health insurance,” Peterson said.

Tax bills were being processed and mailed this week, and Miller said they should all be in the mail before Christmas.

Earlier during Friday night’s meeting, Miller told the board that the village’s health insurer, Health Traditions, was going to raise its prices 15 percent in 2010. Miller has been advised to get quotes from other health insurers to see whether health costs can be reduced.

The unusual Friday night session was called when the budget hearing had to be rescheduled after only two board members — Kristy O’Heron and Peterson — showed up for the original budget hearing. Although Trustee Chris Robinson was among the absentees for that Dec. 1 meeting, it should be noted that he had previously been excused.

In other board-related developments, Miller said Jeff Radke and O’Heron have taken out papers to run for the village board in the spring election. Also, Trustee Kim Shrake said she doesn’t plan to run for re-election.