Orchard Park union employees told Town Board members during the annual budget hearing Wednesday night they are ready to negotiate in good faith.

The statement comes with employees knowing the tentative 2010 budget does not include money for wage increases.

The preliminary budget includes raises only for police, whose contracts call for a 3.75 percent increase. But all elected, appointed, non-union and part-time workers, as well as those in the white-and blue-collar unions — whose contracts will expire Dec. 31 — would get no raises, except for step increases where required.

The budget is not final, and if money is saved through negotiations on benefits, it may be available for raises.

“I have seen the Highway Department perform its duties for at least 35 years with virtually no increase in the number of employees,” said Anthony C. Delmonte, president of the Orchard Park Blue-Collar Unit, Civil Service Employees Association.

He said workers in the Sewer and Lighting departments carry on their duties as well, and members of the white-collar union have done the same through the years, while the town has grown.

“These challenges have been met by doing what needed to be done, regardless of the constraints,” he said. “Hopefully, this same principle can be applied to our upcoming contract talks as well.”

Several speakers asked the board to keep recreation well funded, although Supervisor Mary Travers Murphy and the town’s financial consultant, Wayne Drescher, said no cuts were planned in recreation.

After the board made several cuts last week, the tax rate increase for the general fund stands at 3 percent, Drescher said.

Councilman Mark Dietrick said he has been reluctant in past years to use fund balance to reduce the tax rate.

“I think this is the year we probably have to dip into the savings account,” he said.

A measure eliminating health benefits for board members was removed from Wednesday’s agenda because Councilman David Kaczor was not present for the discussion and wanted to hear details.

The board is expected to vote on the budget Nov. 18.