Nov 10, 2015 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – Waynesburg Borough Council approved a tentative 2016 budget Monday night that maintains spending at current levels and calls for no increase in property taxes next year.

Council approved a budget listing expenditures of $1,651,774, which is $1,226 less than that for the current year budget.

Following the meeting, borough manager Mike Simms said he and the department heads were able to hold the line on spending simply by being “more frugal” in regard to operations. Simms noted the budget is fairly similar to this year’s budget in regard to income and expenditures.

Major general fund categories include $593,300 for police department expenses; $590,568 for miscellaneous expenses, which includes hospitalization, retirement and insurances; $200,509 for general government; and $181,960 for public works.

General fund revenue includes $555,960 from real estate taxes; $359,396 from earned income taxes, $86,793 from local service taxes; $82,020 from police department revenue; and $214,802 from Act 13 revenue.

Simms noted that with no new commercial or residential development in recent years, the borough remains “revenue stagnant” in regard to property taxes.

Property taxes in the borough will remain at 9 mills. Of that, 7.5 mills are dedicated to the general fund; 0.6 of a mill to fire services; 0.6 of a mill to street lights; and 0.3 of a mill to capital street improvements.

Council also adopted a sewage fund budget of $397,415 and a highway aid fund budget of $118,300.

During discussion on the budget, Councilman Larry Marshall questioned whether council should consider raising the sewer rates to help fund the borough’s proposed sewage improvement project.

The borough has been working for the last few years to develop a plan, as required by the state Department of Environmental Protection, to address sewage overflows at its treatment plant.

Bob Dengler of Gannett Fleming, the borough’s engineer on the sewer project, suggested that before council considers adjusting rates it should first complete a formal rate study. The sewer rate is currently 110 percent of a property owner’s water bill.

Councilman Mark Fischer also suggested the borough talk to West Penn Power about savings in regard to street lighting. The street light tax brings in about $37,000, while the borough pays $54,500 to West Penn for street lighting.

Rather than increase the millage rate for street lighting, Fisher suggested, the borough should talk to the company about costs savings. It was suggested the borough explore a program offered by West Peen under which existing lighting is replaced with more cost-efficient LED lights.