Borough Budget Vote

Set For May 13

By Jan Howard

Borough residents will vote on the proposed 2004-05 annual budget of $227,143 at a meeting May 13 at 7:30 pm at Town Hall South.

The budget contains an increase of $42,113, or 22.8 percent, over the current year’s budget of $185,030. If approved, the tax rate would be 1 mill, an increase of .32 from .68 for the current year’s budget. (See complete borough budget details on page  C-9.)

There are 1,215 registered voters in the borough.

The current year’s budget was “very lean,” according to Borough Clerk Darlene Spencer. “We try to keep taxes as low as possible.”

According to Ms Spencer, most of the increase in the proposed budget is for repairs and maintenance of sidewalks and the Soldiers and Sailors monument and an increase in legal fees.

The largest increase is $12,000 for the Soldiers and Sailors monument. “We’re sprucing that up, and making it safer to visit,” Ms Spencer said. “It will be more user friendly.” She said veterans’ organizations had voiced concern about public safety during functions at the site. One of the improvements will include the removal of yew bushes, she said.

An increase of $11,000, from $10,000 to $21,000, is proposed for new sections of sidewalks and ongoing sidewalk repairs as part of the streetscape plan adopted by the borough, she said.

“Legal fees were short in other years,” Ms Spencer said. “We’ve beefed that up this year.” The legal fees account increases $7,000, from $5,000 in the current budget to $12,000.

The budget also includes $5,500 for the upcoming election in May 2005.

The proposed increase of $2,000 for advertising, from $2,000 to $4,000, is because of an increase in activities, Ms Spencer said, such as commission hearings and meetings requiring legal notices. An increase in auxiliary help of $3,000, from $4,000 to $7,000, is also a result of increases in activity, she noted.

There were also smaller increases of $1,500 or less in the proposed budget for audit, contingency, data processing, fire hydrants, Health District, office maintenance and supplies, streets and parks, and for salaries of borough officials.

Line item accounts that remained the same from this year’s budget include bonds and insurance, fire department, historic district, street lights, flag pole, social work fund, conservation director, engineer, building clerk, zoning officer, and tree warden.

Decreases occurred in the following accounts: consulting, tree and tree maintenance, assessor, and tax collector.